How to Protect Your Legal Rights After a Car Accident
Car accidents can’t always be avoided. When they do happen, compensation is sometimes necessary. Compensation is when the victim of a car accident is paid money to help cover their medical bills and ensure they are able to live a comfortable life in spite of their injuries.
If you have been involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault (and you have been injured), then you have a right to compensation according to Georgia Auto Law. Getting that compensation can be tricky, though. This post will simplify compensation claims for you, telling you everything you need to know:
Legal Assistance
If you want compensation, then you need a lawyer’s help. By following this URL you can learn how a lawyer will be able to make a claim for compensation on your behalf. The reason that a lawyer’s necessary is because there is literally no way that you will be able to negotiate and work with insurance adjusters.
Insurance adjusters are the individuals that insurance companies appoint to deal with people’s claims (and try to reduce the amount of compensation that they are paid). A trained personal injury lawyer will have a lot of experience dealing with insurance adjutors, will know their tricks, and will know how to deal with them. You won’t be able to get the amount of compensation that you deserve unless you work with a lawyer. Always read reviews before hiring, so you can be sure they are worth working with.
Acquiring Evidence
Before you can make a claim for compensation, you need evidence that you have been injured by somebody else’s negligence. The best way to do this is to take video or photo evidence from the scene. However, if you have been seriously injured then this will probably not be possible.
If you can, ask somebody in the car with you or even a witness to start filming. You will also need a written and signed statement from a doctor, confirming your injuries and how they were sustained. Make sure that you get the responsible driver’s insurance information.
Making Claim
Once you have evidence (and have found a lawyer to work with) you can go ahead and make your claim. Making a claim is relatively straightforward. All you have to do is give your evidence over to your lawyer, and they will handle everything.
You will also be asked to give a statement, and sign a declaration of truth. If you are suing a person, then you will have to go to court and give evidence there. Your lawyer will talk you through each step of your claim though, so you don’t need to worry.
Being Truthful
Honesty is essential. You won’t be able to make a claim for compensation if you are not honest. It is natural to want to exaggerate your injuries after an accident, but exaggerating is just lying. The reason you shouldn’t exaggerate is that if you are caught out at any point (or if conflicting evidence emerges) then the insurance company you are claiming compensation from will likely throw your case out, and your lawyer will refuse to work with you again.
Do not play your injuries up, either. If you are awarded compensation then it is later discovered you exaggerated in any way, and you can be arrested for fraud.
Having Patience
You need to have patience. The problem with a lot of people when they are making compensation claims is that they are desperate for money, and therefore nagging their lawyers, sending them emails once a day, and calling them all of the time. You need to give your lawyer space.
Your lawyer will get in touch with you when they need to or when there is news to tell you. Nagging your lawyer will only make their life more difficult and be a waste of your time. Some claims take a year or more to conclude, so be patient, and wait for your lawyer to sort everything out.
Speaking Up
Finally, make sure that you speak up if you have been injured by another person’s negligence. A lot of people make the mistake of choosing to ignore car accidents, as long as they aren’t seriously hurt. However, if somebody has injured you because they have crashed their car into yours, you need to take action.
Not speaking up only means that a dangerous driver goes unpunished. Your lawyer will handle more or less everything for you, so you don’t need to worry about having a lot of involvement in your case.
You should always make a claim for compensation if you have been injured by another driver, and the accident was not your fault. A lawyer will be able to help you to protect your rights and get the compensation that you deserve.
