After being involved in a serious crash with another driver, your priority should be your health. The first thing you’ll want to do is to go to the hospital and to allow medical providers to examine you. Whether you’re in pain or not, this is the right thing to do to make sure that you know how severe your injuries are and can begin treatment right away.
After this, your next step is normally to get in touch with your attorney and the insurance company. Since the other driver hit you, it’s fair for you to seek compensation from their insurance provider. That insurance provider will want evidence that their policyholder was responsible for the collision, and then they may pay out benefits based on the policy that person holds.
It’s important for you to take the right steps when dealing with the insurance company, so that you can protect yourself and your own interests. Here are three things to do when you need to make a claim.
- Contact your attorney
The first thing to do is to contact your attorney for help with your case. The other party’s insurance may reach out to you, but you don’t need to talk to them yet. You can forward them to your attorney or take their information to have your attorney reach out to them.
- Avoid talking to insurance agents on your own
It’s not a good idea to talk to insurance agents on your own, because they are likely to try to get you to settle. Right now, it’s too soon in your case to know what a good settlement would be. You also don’t want to chat with them and say something that hurts your claim, so avoid doing so.
- Gather evidence
For the best opportunity to settle your case for the compensation you need, keep copies of all receipts and expenses related to your case. Give these to your attorney and allow them to speak with the insurance company about the claim.
Your attorney is a skilled negotiator and will work on your behalf to settle the case for a fair amount. If they cannot get a fair settlement agreed upon, they can also help represent you in court.
