No matter how minor, what needs to be done in the wake of a car accident can be stressful. While adrenaline is still running high, you have a lot of logistical matters to take care of to make sure your car’s damage and any personal injuries you may have are being dealt with by the right people.
If you’re ever in an accident, you may not know where to begin to take care of the insurance side of things. This article will walk you through the steps you need to take when you’re in an accident to ensure you are taking all necessary action to file an insurance claim.
What’s an Insurance Claim?
First, let’s get some clarification on what a claim is. The reason you’ve been paying premiums to your car insurance company is so in the event of an accident, you are able to request reimbursement for the cost of damages to your vehicle or for personal injuries. This official request is known as an insurance claim.
Depending on what type of coverage you have (liability, personal injury, etc.), you can request reimbursement for your car’s damage or you can seek reimbursement for everything from medical bills to lost wages.
If your claim is approved by the agency, you may have to pay a deductible depending on what type of policy you have. A deductible is the amount of money you are responsible for paying before insurance remits payment. Your deductible varies based on your policy, so it’s important to look at what your deductible would be when shopping for insurance.
How Can You File a Claim?
When it comes to filing a claim, don’t be nervous. The good news is that your insurance deals with these types of things every day and will be able to guide you through the process. However, it’s important to pay attention to these two parts of filing a claim:
- Get all of the information necessary
- Call an expert accident injury lawyer
Step One: Gather All of the Information You Can
Some may tell you that you should only call the police after an accident if there are injuries or if there is a certain amount of damage. However, no matter if your accident is minor or major, always call the police after. The police are going to be your best source for information when it comes to what happened, who was at fault, and other information your insurance company will need.
While we know the adrenaline is pumping right after an accident, take a few deep breaths and jot down exactly what happened as you remember it. As the adrenaline rush wears off, it might be more difficult to recall certain details that might help you. Modern smartphones make taking photographic evidence all the easier, so take a lot of pictures of the damage to both vehicles, license plates, identification, and insurance information!
Don’t let the intensity of the moment get you caught in a situation that may hurt your case later. For example, don’t immediately apologize to the other driver or admit any kind of fault until all of the facts are in and a police officer has helped gather them. If the other driver asks to settle things privately instead of calling the police or filing an insurance claim, don’t agree.
Step Two: Get An Expert Accident Injury Lawyer
Once you have the who, what, when, where, and how of the accident, it’s time to turn to the experts. An expert accident injury lawyer like the ones at Bagen Law are specially trained to help you. The insurance company will assign an insurance adjuster. An expert accident injury lawyer will talk with you and fight. for your rights, while getting you the compensation you deserve.
Our expert accident injury lawyers at Bagen Law can help with property damage, loss of use, rental cars, personal property damage, medical treatment payments, lost wages, and compensation. for pain, suffering and injuries,
Ultimately, at Bagen Law, our expert accident injury lawyers will help avoid the insurance companies initial. low ball offers and get you everything you deserve.
Please Contact us today if you or a loved one has been in an accident.
