How to Get the Best Settlement for Your Car Accident Injury Claim

It is extremely important to know that after being injured in a car accident, you are entitled to receive compensation from the person responsible for the accident in question. A personal injury law firm will treat your injury claim like a trial case right from the start. A claim prepared handled by an experienced law firm becomes more valuable than an ordinary injury claim because the experts let the insurance carrier know that they are ready to present the case in front of a jury. When preparing a claim, a team of experts will document the injuries, preserve, and present evidence following court and trial rules, and the rules of evidence as well.

Each car crash is different, and the extent of injuries suffered varies. Personal injury costs are some of the largest expenses incurred after an accident. Typically, a PIP insurance policy limit can range from $1500 to $250,000 or more. Often, the costs of treating the injuries sustained will not be covered by insurance and will need additional negotiations or litigation.

Although every accident is different, many accidents result in the same types of injuries:

• Head or Brain Injuries;
• Neck Injuries;
• Back Injuries;
• Paralysis;
• Loss of Limbs;
• Burns and Scars;
• Whiplash;
• Permanent Disability;
• Psychological Injuries.

Seeking Medical Treatment Immediately After the Accident

Report all your injuries to a doctor as soon as possible and get the treatment required. Otherwise, the insurance companies can use any delay in treatment to devalue your claim. You may think that it will be too costly to go to the hospital, or that your insurance rates will go up, but you should know that your PIP insurance covers 80% of the medical expenses, or up to $10,000, subject to any deductible. Also, it is illegal for your insurance company to raise your rate for making a PIP claim.

All victims of car accident injuries should keep in mind that it is normal and common to notice pain or soreness for several days, sometimes even weeks, after an accident. This may be due to the fact that it takes time for the adrenaline to subside, for inflammation to develop, and for the pain to set in. Or, sometimes the pain in one body part is excruciating, such as in the lower back, so they do not notice or care about the pain in another body parts, such as in the knee. So make sure you report your injuries as soon as you are aware of them.

Go See a Doctor Who Has Experience with Car Accident Injuries

It's a mistake to get treatment from a doctor who has little or no experience with car accident injuries. Many people go to see their primary care doctor after an accident, and they are surprised when they get turned away. Doctors may refuse to treat you because sending bills to an auto insurance company and getting paid can be a nightmare for their offices. Also, individuals injured in car accidents have different types of soft tissue injuries that many doctors don't know how to handle. It takes a specialized doctor, experienced in handling soft tissue injuries, to properly diagnose and treat them.

Don't Miss Any Medical Appointments

One of the first things that the insurance companies will look for when they receive your medical records is whether you missed any medical appointments. When you skip a doctor’s appointment or a therapy appointment, they are likely to write a notation in your chart that reads “DNS,” which means did not show. Skipping doctor or therapy appointments opens the door for the insurance company’s lawyers to argue that the victims must not have been hurt as badly as they are claiming and that they must not have cared about getting better.

Additionally, when someone misses their doctor or therapy appointments, there is a very good chance that the doctor or therapist will begin to wonder whether they are committed to getting better or not. Irritated doctors and therapists do not make good witnesses for their patients. If your claim is not settled and your case ends up being tried to a jury, it is very difficult to explain to a jury the reason behind missed doctor and therapy appointments.

Furthermore, insurance companies will also pay close attention to lawyers. They know which ones will take them to court and which ones will not go to court. An experienced trial attorney may be able to get you enough additional money to cover the fee and increase the amount of money you receive. What makes a good lawyer is knowing how to tell his clients’ stories in a way that is both compelling and following the stringent guidelines present in a court case. Therefore, we strongly encourage all victims of car accidents to seek legal guidance from a car accident lawyer in order to make sure that they are not settling for less than they deserve.