When to make a car accident claim
It is possible to make a car accident claim when the other driver was wholly responsible or partially responsible for the accident.
You’re making car accident claim and there has been no injury to yourself then it is possible to contact the insurance company of the guilty party and state your intention to claim.
As with many of the things in life there is a protocol to car accident claims in the event of injury and if you try to claim outside of this the claim is likely to be a long time settling. The first step to making insurance claim is to request your solicitor to inform the other party you are making a claim. It is possible to make the claim yourself but the insurance company will deal with it faster if this is done by a professional person. If you have an insurance broker you can ask him to claim you with the day-to-day running of that claim.
If you have been hit by another vehicle and you are not at fault you may claim for the repairs to your vehicle as well as any excess may be added to your insurance policy. If you have incurred a loss of earnings as a result of the accident either because your car was off the road or you have been injured this will also form part of your claim. Other claimable expenses are taxi fares; you may not need a hire car when your car is off the road you may claim for taxi fares.
You may be able to claim for damage to property that was damaged during accident such as mobile phones, laptops, a digital camera etc. You can also claim if the vehicle damaged your house or business during the accident.
Claim through a solicitor or other professional. A solicitor will summarize your expenses in full and explain why the other party is being held responsible in the correct legal terms. Legally the insurance company for the guilty party has 21 days to a knowledge receipt of that letter.
Generally straightforward car accident claims are settled quickly however the insurance companies would take over the claim and assign professionals to help you through the process. As insurance countries are businesses they will try to limit their liabilities and this is why legal help is beneficial. Your solicitor can arrange for a medically expert to examine you. This expert details the injury, the treatment and the prognosis in a medical report. Should the insurance company contest the claim the medical expert can testify on your behalf in court.
Once your solicitor has the medical report he can access the true value of your claim and negotiate a settlement. If the outcome is contested or the insurance company does not accept blame then the matter has to be settled in court. However statistically most car accident claims are settled out of court.
Do not try to rush your car accident claim because certain consequences of the accident may not be apparent for some time. Some insurance companies employ solicitors and will make claims for you. They can review whether you are entitled to make a claim and if they are they will proceed for you. There are likely to secure a larger settlement than you would as an individual. Most of these firms work on a no-win no fee basis. This means that they will not take on your claim unless they think that you have a good chance of winning.
Personal injury lawyers can be very helpful in car accident claims because they know the best professionals to get a doctor’s report from. All doctors are paid to stand in court but some will state your claim better than others.