If you have recently been injured in an accident and were not at fault, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Compensation is available to those who suffer physical or mental pain, disability, and financial losses due to the negligence of others, such as the other driver involved in an accident. Here are tips to help you get the compensation you deserve after an accident.
Get an Accident Report and Calendars of Events
When you file a lawsuit or claim, you must submit a copy of the police report, accident report, and proof of your injuries. You will also need to obtain copies of any time signatures that may have been taken during your accident. This is important because it gives you evidence of the accident’s date, time, and place. Your lawyer can help you with this requirement.
Get a Lawyer
A personal injury lawyer will be able to guide and educate you on the law. Your lawyer can represent you in court and assist you in getting your day in court to determine who is responsible for the accident and how much that person should pay to compensate you for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and other expenses. The law is complex, so you must get legal help from an experienced personal injury attorney.
The Carriers
If an insurance company insured the other driver, you should go through their claims department to get compensation. The carrier may deny your claim because they claim you were at fault. You can find out if their claim is valid or not by submitting a letter of protest. If you show that another driver was at fault, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.
Police Reports Are Crucial
To bolster your case, if you had witnesses willing to be a witness in court, it would help to have the police report. There should also be statements from them about their eyewitness account of the accident. It would be best if you got statements from all witnesses. If possible, get their phone numbers and contact information so that you can have them testify in court if required. One of your witnesses may also be the person who called for the police or ambulance after the accident. If you have their statements, it will help you prove your case.
Get Your Medical Records
With your permission, the emergency responders are allowed to obtain your medical records. They may have documented your injuries and the damage you suffered in the accident. This is also important to prove that there is damage to your body because of the accident. With so much documentation available from the hospital, it can also be used as evidence in court. Your lawyer can help you with this requirement as well.
Justice will not find you in this case, so you must find justice yourself. You need to acknowledge your legal rights and options. This can help you make the right decisions when it comes down to filing a suit or claim.
Author information: Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University and now writes articles about health, business, family, and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
