Should I Notify My Insurance Company After An Auto Accident?

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In the event of an accident, you want to let your own insurance company know what’s happened. There are a number of reasons for that, but the first person you want to call is the personal injury lawyer. He’ll be able to take you through that process, and ensure that it’s done properly and that you don’t compromise yourself. Whenever you’re talking with the insurance company, you can say things that compromise yourself without realizing. That’s another reason to get hold of an attorney as soon as you can.

How Important Is Following Doctor’s Orders In An Auto Accident Claim?

Following the doctor’s instructions is very important, because you want to get proper medical attention. If you’re hurt, especially if you suspect a back injury, you want to make sure that you follow the doctor’s instructions and get properly treated. That matters, irrespective of personal injury case. But it’s also important to show that you are fully mitigating your loss—if you’ve been injured, that you’re taking your injury seriously, and that you’re doing whatever you can to ensure that you’re properly treated. This is because the insurance company will try and argue, if you didn’t get correct medical attention, or if you do miss doctor’s appointments, that you’re not really that injured, or that you haven’t sought the correct medical attention to minimize your injury or have your injury properly treated.

For those reasons, it’s important to ensure that you don’t miss any appointments, and that you fully follow what your doctor’s instructions.

What Are Some Reasons That An Auto Accident Claim Might Go to Litigation Or Trial?

There are a lot of reasons that an auto accident case might go to litigation or trial. The first reason is because if the insurance company is being very unreasonable and not accepting responsibility, not offering proper compensation. It could be a case where the insurance company feels that they could defend it, which means that liability might not be clear, and the insurance company might be confident that they can even win at trial. That often happens. It could also simply be that the insurance company just hasn’t properly analyzed the damages and is underestimating a case, which is better than the insurance company thinks it is. I’ve done cases where the insurance company attorneys had a rude awakening. They’ve been shocked by the amount of money that the jury’s given. It also could be that the plaintiff’s lawyer or the plaintiffs are being unrealistic, and they’re overvaluing the case. The bottom-line is if everybody’s reasonable, if everybody puts a reasonable value on the case and everybody acts reasonably, the case should always settle.

Why Is It Critical To Retain A Personal Injury Attorney For An Auto Accident Claim?

If it’s a small fender-bender or there’s not a lot of injury, you may be better off going to small claims court. They have just raised the limit in small claims court. For a small type of injury where liability is very clear, that might be good. But for any case other than that, the old saying is only a fool has himself as a lawyer, and I especially agree with that with personal injuries cases. The problem with personal injury cases is you’re up against insurance companies, and they will do anything possible to avoid paying.

They’ll pretend that they are your friend, so that’s why you really need a personal injury lawyer who is experienced, who is tenacious, who could put a reasonable value on your case and get you maximum recovery. It’s not an area where you should be representing yourself.

How Long Does It Take For Someone To Receive Funds After A Settlement Has Been Reached In An Auto Accident Claim?

After a settlement has been reached, typically you get your money within 30 days. Sometimes it takes longer, depending on where the insurance company’s located. I recently finished a case where the insurance company was based in London, England. It took them about 60 days to get us the money, but that’s an exception, rather than a rule. Typically it’s within 30 days.

For more information on Notifying Insurance After An Accident, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (760) 231-6498 today.