Car accident claims can be complicated. It’s important to keep detailed documentation of your damages and losses for your insurance provider.
After you file a claim, an adjuster from the insurance provider will contact you to investigate your accident. They will perform inspections, interview witnesses and analyze police reports. Contact Duluth Car Accident Attorney to help you.
Medical Treatment
Car accident victims may require medical attention from a variety of professionals. They might have to visit a hospital emergency room or an urgent care facility after a crash for injuries such as broken bones, bleeding, and head trauma. Emergency medical treatment can save lives by ensuring that serious injuries are treated promptly.
After being checked out at the hospital, a patient might be referred to a primary care physician or a specialist to manage his or her long-term health needs. Doctors can prescribe medication, perform follow-up exams to monitor injury progress and provide therapy. They can also create a comprehensive medical record to support a car accident claim.
It’s not unusual for certain accident symptoms to mask or disappear after the initial shock of a crash. This happens because of a natural release of hormones to protect the body from stress and pain. For this reason, it is important for anyone who is involved in a car accident to seek medical attention immediately.
A reputable doctor will take a complete history of the victim’s symptoms and conduct a physical examination to make sure that all of his or her injuries have been identified. Diagnostic tests such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans can often detect injuries that aren’t immediately apparent.
Depending on the extent of a car accident victim’s injuries, he or she might need to undergo physical or occupational therapy. Therapists can help to reduce pain levels and improve mobility after an accident by teaching patients exercises to strengthen the muscles that have been damaged. They can also teach victims how to cope with their emotional trauma and mental impairments, such as anxiety or depression.
Injured car accident victims might also need to obtain additional equipment to help with their recovery, such as crutches or a wheelchair. Doctors can prescribe medicine to ease inflammation and discomfort, while physical therapists can use targeted exercises to improve strength and flexibility. They can also advise car accident victims on healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the likelihood of future complications from a crash. If an injured person feels he or she is being unfairly undervalued by an insurance company, it is possible to hire a lawyer for legal representation.
Property Damage
Car accident victims often incur medical expenses that exceed insurance coverage, and the loss of a vehicle adds to their financial burden. A successful liability claim for car accident property damage is a key step in recovering compensation that can help alleviate these burdens.
Property damage claims cover a wide range of damages, but the most common are for damage to your automobile. Most auto insurance policies include collision and comprehensive coverage that pays to repair or replace your vehicle in the event of a covered accident. These policies also typically include personal property coverage, which pays to restore any items lost or stolen in a covered accident, such as a laptop or cell phone.
To file a property damage claim, you should first contact your insurer as soon as possible. The insurer will likely assign an adjuster to review your case. The adjuster will want to know as much as possible about the accident, including the date and time of the crash, what type of vehicle you drive, and the names and contact information of any witnesses. It’s important to stick to the facts when talking with the adjuster and not provide any speculation or opinions.
Your insurer may require you to take your car into a certified repair shop for inspection or they might send a surveyor to evaluate the property damage. It is a good idea to keep receipts and photographs of any property damage as well.
If you have homeowners insurance, your policy may also include coverage for property damage from a car accident. This coverage applies if the at-fault driver’s car accident caused damage to your home or other property. In this situation, your homeowner’s policy may pay to repair or replace the damaged item and you can submit a third-party claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company for the remainder of the settlement.
If the other driver’s insurance adjuster approves your claim, they will issue a check for your property damage. If they deny your claim or give you a low settlement offer, it’s important to consult an attorney right away. They can negotiate a higher settlement amount for you or take the other driver to small claims court if necessary.
Loss of Earnings
Oftentimes, car accident victims are left dealing with large medical expenses and a loss of income due to their injuries. In a state like New York, the injured victim is able to file for basic personal injury protection (PIP) insurance benefits after a car accident, which typically covers things like lost wages and medical expenses. However, if the injuries suffered are significant enough that the victim is not able to return to work, they may be able to receive additional compensation from the at-fault driver’s liability bodily injury coverage.
For a client in this situation, it is important to work with an experienced Syracuse car accident lawyer who can file an additional claim for their “excess economic losses.” This type of damages is typically awarded by the at-fault driver’s/car owner’s insurer to cover the difference between what they earned prior to the accident and what they will be unable to earn in the future.
To prove this type of damage, a lawyer will need to have detailed documentation of a victim’s financial losses, including pay stubs and tax records. Oftentimes, a lawyer will also need to enlist the help of a forensic economist or other expert witnesses in order to establish future income losses, which are also known as lost earning capacity damages.
This type of claim can be very complicated and time-consuming, particularly for those who are self-employed or have a fluctuating income. Having an experienced car accident attorney on your side can save you time and effort by handling all of the details associated with establishing lost earnings, as well as other forms of economic damages. This can free up your time so you can focus on your physical recovery. Contact a Syracuse car accident attorney with Raphaelson & Levine to discuss your case and see how we can assist you in filing an appropriate insurance claim after a collision. Call today to get started.
Pain and Suffering
Car accident injuries can cause a lot of pain and suffering. They can include anything from broken bones to disfigurement. They can keep victims from pursuing their passions or their day-to-day activities. They can even prevent them from working or being able to care for their families. In fact, some injuries are so severe that they may result in permanent disability or lifelong pain and suffering. The law allows people to receive compensation for these losses, which are sometimes called noneconomic damages.
This type of compensation is not easy to calculate because it can be subjective. However, there are several methods that lawyers use to value a victim’s pain and suffering. For example, a lawyer can use medical records or physician’s statements to quantify the injury. They can also ask for evidence like photographs, daily journals, and witness statements from loved ones who describe how the injuries have affected the person’s lifestyle, mood, personality, and ability to perform basic daily tasks.
In addition, a lawyer can ask the jury to take into account how the injuries will affect a victim’s future quality of life. This can be a big part of the case, because if a victim’s injuries will cause permanent limitations or disabilities that interfere with their happiness and well-being, it is fair to compensate them for this as well.
Some states have limits on the amount of money a person can get in a car accident settlement for their pain and suffering. However, New York does not. It is up to the jury to decide what is a fair amount for a victim’s pain and suffering, but they are given guidelines to follow and told not to award much more than what would be a reasonable payout in their situation.
Insurance companies often try to lowball their initial offers for compensation to avoid paying out large sums. It is important to have an experienced attorney on your side who can present strong evidence and fight for what you deserve. If you are considering filing a claim, contact an attorney as soon as possible.
