How To Get Full and Fair Compensation For A Car Accident?
Car accidents are common in the United States. After suffering a serious car crash, victims can sustain severe injuries. Victims may experience huge medical expenses that will drain them emotionally and financially. The medical bills can keep piling up for ambulance rides, the hospital room or surgery.
In case of a severe collision, the victim might have to remain hospitalized for weeks while less severe accidents may require just an x-Ray, prescription drugs, and visits to health care professionals.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), there were more than 120,000 traffic accidents in the year 2018. The numbers are huge and the accidents happened only on the roads or highways of Philadelphia. There were hundreds of casualties and deaths when these crashes occurred.
After enduring an auto accident due to someone else’s mistakes, injured victims are entitled to file lawsuits. This will assist them in recovering the expenses of medical treatment. To fully account for those expenses, a victim must keep all the receipts and bills for their treatment. To get complete advice about what information to preserve, seek guidance from a Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer.
An expert legal advisor will guide them in getting clarity on the value of their claim, and assist them in recovering the expenses spent on their medical treatment. The ultimate financial award depends largely on the severity of the accident and injuries sustained.
Steps to protect your interests after a motor vehicle accident
Do not run away from the accident scene: The first and most essential step is to remain at the place where the incident happened. You must call the police. The report prepared will be evidence for the injured victim in the future. The police report will strengthen your car accident claim.
You must call 911 so that police can examine the accident scene, and so that an ambulance can provide essential medical help. Running away from an accident scene is a crime, and provides very strong evidence against any civil claim you may file.
Collect essential information from the accident scene: You must gather all the evidence from the accident scene, including:
- Contact information of the driver;
- Police report;
- Photographs of the injuries and the damaged vehicles;
- Insurance information of the driver who was at fault;
- Statements from the witnesses and their contact information.
All this information will assist you in negotiating with the insurance company, or if necessary, in filing a lawsuit. In addition, preparatory investigations will help you resolve your claim, and maximise your chance to recover your expenses and an award for pain and suffering.
Get medical attention immediately: If you sustained serious injuries you must see a doctor immediately. However, even if you do not sustain any injuries you should still seek medical attention. You must keep all receipts and bills as they will help determine the full value of your expense, which is a necessary element to compute a claim for compensation. The reimbursement of a successful claim could help you recover financially.
Report the accident to the insurance company: Whether you are responsible for the accident or not, you must inform your insurance carrier about the accident. You must also document your vehicle damage and any repairs required. In case you do not report, then your policy may get cancelled.
However, you must always be cautious in reporting to an insurance adjuster. The insurance company will seek to minimize its exposure to a claim, and to reduce payments to the minimum possible. Before accepting any settlement offer from an insurance company, you should seek professional advice..
What To Include While Documenting Your Expenses?
You must have a precise idea about how much you have spent on your medical treatment and other bills. If you do not log expenses carefully, you might forget details afterward. Therefore, you must document your expenses.
Expenses to document include:
- Cost of emergency room;
- Cost of the ambulance ride;
- Cost of the hospital stay;
- Any on-going medical treatment;
- Physical and occupational therapy;
- Lost income if you are unable to work due to severe injury;
- Expenses for medical equipment used while undergoing treatment;
- Transportation costs in visiting the doctor.
Some other costs might involve in-home caretakers. They may be required after surgery. Any other therapy required to combat emotional stress and mental anguish can be included.
All these expenses should be covered under the insurance policy of the driver who was at fault. The driver whose negligence caused the accident is responsible for compensating the victim.
An accident can cause huge financial pressure on the victim and his family due to expensive medical treatment for injuries. Financial compensation is, accordingly, as essential for the recovery of the victim as medical care.
If you are unable to work due to your injuries, that can also drain your savings. All of this will be a huge burden on your family members as well. If you have been in an auto accident, a financial award will be a tremendous help to both you and your family.
To evaluate your claim fully, you should consult expert legal help for your auto accident.