Many car accidents are reported in the US every single day. When an accident happens, your whole body may experience excruciating pain, you may feel shaken, and you may feel distressed. However, when all this is over, you will have to take a variety of steps to adjust your life in order. For instance, after an accident, caused by another motorist happens, negotiating with their insurance company for your claim settlement would obviously be the first step to take. You need to do various other things after the accident to ensure that you maximize your compensation.
Gather Information and Contact the Police
The question on how long do you have to report a car accident has long been troubling motorist involved in car accidents. However, you should instantly report it. To successfully settle your auto accident, claim first call the police and ensure you wait for them at the scene of the accident. Once they arrive, explain to them what happened and then seek medical attention if you are injured. Even when you doubt whether you are injured, it is always important to get yourself checked by a doctor as some internal injuries may not readily show. However, before leaving the scene, ensure you take photos of both cars including the damaged parts at the scene. The photos should also include the other car’s license plate. Write somewhere, the car mode, color and make, location and exchange this information with the owner of the other car. Get details of the other motorist such as name, cell number, email address and if possible, witnesses details.
Get an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If the accident has left you with serious injuries or your car is extensively damaged, it is important to seek help from an experienced car accident attorney to help you in your claim. These professionals are familiar with the insurance companies’ defense strategies and are handy to counter them and ensure you get a full settlement. Insurance companies are known to overprotect their profits at the expense of your damages. Without a car accident attorney, these companies may end up offering you a low settlement or equally dispute liabilities. In the same vein, an attorney will ensure you receive the highest compensation amount or better still, prepare for a court battle with the insurance company.
They are also the best people to advise you on how different car accident claims work. For instance, the three types of claims include
The Property Damage Claim
If your car, involved in a crash needs repairing or replacement, then you would file for this type of claim.
Personal Injury Protection Claim (PIP)
The PIP insurance coverage will cover your medical bills because of the car accident. This coverage may settle to 80% of all medical bills you incurred. Sometimes, this claim is also called No-Fault Coverage the statutes enacting it are generally known as no-fault laws since statutes that enact this claim are called no-fault laws.
Bodily Injury Claim (BI)
With this claim, the insurance company will compensate you for the bodily damaged because of the accident. This is third-party insurance as it covers other people e.g. other drivers or passengers when you are at fault. It settles, medical bills, lost wages, as well as legal fee if the other party sues you.