4 Top Tips For Settling Car Accident Claims

Being injured in a car accident can be frustrating. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may end up facing some significant consequences, including hefty medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other similar losses. Because of this unfortunate situation, it’s crucial to file car accident claims as quickly as possible. It is to obtain compensation that will ease the financial hardship caused by the car collision.   

However, dealing with the insurance company and the alleged at-fault party in an accident claim is never easy. They’ll do their best to refute your allegation and reject your compensation claim. It is where the settlement process comes into play. To increase your chances of getting compensated for your injury, you’ll try to negotiate and settle the claim.   

Read on to learn the four tips for settling car accident claims.   

1. Seek Legal Help   

Although you may think that you can handle car accident claims on your own, it’s still best to have a legal professional by your side for assistance. Unless you’re an expert in a car accident and personal injury cases, you need professionals like personal injury solicitors, Dublin, or wherever you may be to guide you through the claims process.   

For example, they can offer legal advice on the necessary steps to improve your odds of having a successful claim. They can also represent you in the negotiation with the insurance company. They can make sure that your rights and interests are provided by getting a fair and reasonable settlement compensation for your car accident injury.   

2. Gather The Evidence You’ll Need   

You may be unable to settle your car accident claim without evidence in place successfully. Because of this, it’s essential to start the evidence-collection process as soon as possible. Some pieces of evidence you need to gather can include:   

• Copy of the police report;   
• Copy of the medical report and bills;  
• Photos or videos of the car accident scene, including vehicle damage;   
• Payroll records;   
• Witness testimonies;   
• Expert testimonies, if necessary.   

The above-mentioned pieces of evidence can be used to support your car accident claim. However, if you have difficulty procuring the documentation you need, you can work with a dedicated legal professional to get the job done right. They have an extensive network of professionals who can help you obtain the evidence you need. With proper evidence in place, you have a better chance of successfully settling your claim.   

3. Determine Your Claim’s Value   

It’s also crucial to calculate your claim’s value to settle your car accident claim. You can’t negotiate for a fair settlement if you have no idea how much your claim is worth. In doing so, you may need the assistance of a personal injury solicitor to help you with the calculation. To develop the proper settlement amount, they consider several factors, including the extent and severity of the injury sustained.   

Generally, a legal professional will add up all the economic and non-economic damages or losses sustained due to the car accident. Economic damages have a specific monetary value, whereas non-economic ones don’t have a particular monetary value. Although there’s no objective measurement to determine the value of your pain and suffering, there are ways to help you calculate the compensation for these losses to increase your settlement offer.   

4. Be Ready To Make Your Settlement Demand And For Counter-Offers   

After calculating your car accident claim value, it’s crucial to make your settlement demand to resolve the claim. Your legal counsel can prepare a formal demand letter outlining the damages you’ve sustained because of the injury. Make sure to attach all the necessary supporting documents to strengthen your claim and enhance your chances of a high settlement. When making a settlement demand, you need to decide the amount of money you’re willing to accept to settle the car accident claim. Make sure you’re realistic in negotiating the settlement to attain a more positive outcome.   

However, as you explain the reasons for your demand, you should also be ready for the other party’s counter-offers. Once they hear your side, they’ll give their objections, along with their counter-offers. Since some insurance companies will try to diminish the value of your claim by attributing fault on your end, they’ll try to offer a lower settlement amount.   

For example, they may use your statements against you to make you believe that you’ve contributed to the accident. When this happens, it’s best to seek legal help from a lawyer or solicitor professional to protect you against unreasonable counter-offers. Although there may be many back-and-forth exchanges between you and the other party, make sure to show your willingness to negotiate until the end. As such, you’re likely to reach a reasonable settlement offer.   

Bottom Line   

Setting car accident claims is never easy. The opposing party will also do their best to safeguard their interests and reduce the settlement amount you deserve for your injury. Therefore, it’s best to keep the tips mentioned above in mind to know what to do to reach a successful settlement for your claim. Remember, the more you’re ready for the process, the more confident you’ll become in settling the claim as quickly as possible.