You’ve been in a car accident that wasn’t your fault and you have minor injuries. This article will tell you how to settle your claim without a lawyer.
Things you’ll need:
- A Police Report
- Medical Bills
- Basic Phone Skills
1 This article is based on my personal experience. I was rear-ended by another driver and he was cited at fault in the accident. I experienced back and neck pains as a result of the accident. This is a fairly common automobile accident. The police officer investigating the accident will provide you with a summary of the ticket which states if he found anyone at fault. Keep this document – it is the ticket to the settlement of your personal injury claim.
2 Contact a personal injury clinic, typically a chiropractor’ s office and ask them if they will provide you treatment on a lien basis. This means that they agree to wait until the insurance company pays the claim. Start treatment immediately. Insurance companies are skeptical if a person seeks treatment after they speak to a lawyer or it is more than a few days after the accident.
3 Check your own automobile insurance policy to see if your policy provides “Med Pay”. Med pay is short for medical payments and is typically paid directly to the provider or to the insured if they come out of pocket for medical treatment. Your chiropractor can use the med pay provision of your car insurance. This will make you money because the insurance company of the at fault driver will pay your claim and you will not have to reimburse the chiropractor for cost of treatment.
4 The insurance company for the driver that hit you will call you within a few days of the accident. Tell them that you are receiving medical treatment and let them know how long it is expected to take. Refuse to give a recorded statement unless you feel very confident that you can accurately recount what happened. You are not required to provide anyone with a recorded statement and they are frequently used later when the insurance company wants to legally fight a claim. Just politely decline – if pressed say, I’m considering hiring a lawyer.
5 Complete your medical treatment. Go to each and every scheduled treatment. Do not skip any appointment. Get a certified completion of treatment. Get a copy of all of your medical records.
6 Total your medical expenses and document any lost income. Write a simple letter to the insurance adjuster of the other driver with copies of your police report, medical records, photographs, and any other evidence you have supporting a settlement. Multiply your actual damages by three for your final demand. They will respond with their offer and you can accept it if you feel it is good.
You’ve been in a car accident that wasn’t your fault and you have minor injuries. This article will tell you how to settle your claim without a lawyer.
Tips & Warnings
If you used med pay from your own insurance, you get to keep the entire settlement.
Most lawyers will take a contingent fee of 33% of your settlement. If you followed the tips in this how to, you’ll come out better off without an attorney. If you receive medical treatment on a lien basis, you have to repay the medical provider from your settlement. If the insurance company refuses to settle with you, your only real option then is to file a lawsuit so it is better to be nice with the insurance adjuster. They’re just doing their job, after all.
