Being in a car accident is a scary and difficult experience, not to mention the pain and suffering one might endure after such an event.
To help you defend your rights, we have compiled a list of steps that you can take to better protect yourself from any insurance company that may try to shortchange you when it comes time for your settlement.
Get Immediate Legal Representation
In the event of a car accident, you should always get professional legal representation from an attorney. By doing this, you will be in good standing and in compliance with your state laws in terms of what steps to take after such an event.
Getting qualified legal help is important because if you fail to comply with your state’s regulations, then any settlement you receive could be invalid. Because of this, you need to seek a lawyer familiar with state laws.
So, if you’re in the state of Texas, contact personal injury lawyers in San Antonio. As soon as possible after you have received any legal representation, let the insurance company know about this fact. They will usually delay or try to avoid compensating you if they feel your case is not strong enough due to your lack of professional legal help.
If they are aware of your attorney, they will not hold back on giving you what you deserve because of their fear that there’s someone on your side who has the knowledge and expertise to take them on—not just on paper but in a court of law.
Obtain All The Necessary Documentation And Photographs
Documentation and photographs can be your best friends when trying to prove what happened during the accident. Make sure that all documentation about pertinent information has been collected—do not leave anything out!
You should also save all photos taken at or before the scene of the accident. These images could be your only way of proving certain things like who was at fault, the damage to the vehicles involved, and any other important pieces of information that could be used to build a strong case.
Asks For An Unredacted Version Of The Police Report
If you are asked for a police report by either your own or the other parties’ insurance company—ask for an unredacted version rather than a redacted one. If it is a redacted version, there may be some essential details about what happened at the scene which you need to know to fully understand your rights.
To avoid having these details kept from you under claims of privacy violation, simply ask for an unredacted copy of the report even though this will mean directly with law enforcement personnel. If they give you a hard time about it, then you can take them to court and ask that the case be reopened to get this information.
Don’t Speak Without An Attorney Present
Do not speak to the insurance company or other parties involved without speaking to your attorney first. Insurance companies are sneaky and will try every trick in the book— including lying about what you have previously said—just so that they can get you to settle for an amount that is lower than what you deserve.
Remember, this is their main goal because it saves them money! If you do decide to speak with any of these parties, make sure you know your rights as well as what information they are trying to extract from you before doing so.
Get The Settlement Paperwork In Writing
When getting settlement paperwork signed by all parties involved, make sure that everything is clearly outlined and agreed upon in writing before anything is issued. Even if someone verbally agrees to something, do not let it go without written confirmation.
By doing this you will be able to avoid any possible problems or misunderstandings that could come up later on regarding the settlement paperwork. You can even use these documents as proof in court if needed so take your time and make sure everything is correct before signing off!
After an offer has been made by the insurance company, do not simply take it because you are afraid to have the negotiations continue. If the settlement is too low, insist on getting more compensation rather than settling for what they are offering.
Insurance companies know that if you agree to an offer immediately after receiving it, then there’s a good chance that you are not aware of other options available to you.
Being in an accident is a scary and difficult experience. Having the proper knowledge on what to do following such an event will help you in your time of need so keep this in mind if the unfortunate should ever happen to you or someone close to you!