Even if you are desperate for the compensation, it is vital that you not do rush to accept the first settlement offer as it is likely that the defendant’s insurance company would want to take advantage of your distress.
If you are involved in an accident, your life can be transformed in just a moment. Depending on the severity of the injuries, you may need expensive medical treatment and long-term rehab, have to bear large out-of-pocket expenses. You may lose income or even your job; undergo physical pain, and mental anguish. When the accident is due to the negligence of another person or entity, you can file a civil lawsuit for compensation on account of these as well as many other outcomes, including non-economic losses, depending on the extent and severity of your injuries. However, since the insurance company of the defendant will try to deny that it was their client’s fault or pay less than a fair amount of damages, you need to be careful about doing certain things right. According to https://edition.cnn.com, insurance companies are increasingly taking a tough stance on settlement of cases. Some vital aspects of getting maximum compensation:
Seek Prompt Medical Treatment
Getting yourself checked by a doctor immediately after the accident has two important benefits. Not only can you get yourself treated but also start generating the documentation required to establish the severity of your injuries and the expenses for the treatment. Follow the doctor’s advice carefully because, otherwise, it could provide an excuse for the defendant to get your claim dismissed. When you have a solid case file of undeniable evidence, it is easier to get a larger compensation.
Collect and Preserve Evidence
Personal injury claim settlements and awards depend solely on the strength of the evidence establishing the breach of duty of the defendant and that the breach lead to the accident that caused the injuries, which have caused economic and non-economic losses to you. Filing a report to the property manager, taking photographs of the site of the accident and your injuries, and keeping track of all the receipts of expenses of your treatment, as well as prescriptions and test reports are important to prove the legitimacy of your claim. Obtaining the contacts of eyewitnesses can be invaluable.
Value Your Claim Properly
The impact of an accident on your life has to be understood carefully after considering all its dimensions. Beyond the obvious physical injuries, the impact of many injuries does not become evident until after a long time. In addition to the expenses you incur for your treatment and rehabilitation, you can also claim compensation for the loss of use of any limb or organ, loss of income as well as various non-economic losses like mental anguish. An experienced law firm like Carlson Meissner Hart & Hayslett, P.A. – Clearwater Personal Injury Law Firm can help you to calculate the fair value of the compensation you should seek. You can find them here.
Conclusion
Even if you are desperate for the compensation, it is vital that you not do rush to accept the first settlement offer as it is likely that the defendant’s insurance company would want to take advantage of your distress. Reject as many offers as you like if you believe that you are not getting an adequate amount. Your attorney will also advise you if a settlement offer has reached its maximum potential, and there is nothing substantial to be gained by preferring a court trial.
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