Jasmine Birtles
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5 Things To Expect From Car Accident Settlement
Moneymagpie Team
13th Feb 2024
If you have recently encountered a car accident, you are probably wondering about several different things.
Will I receive all the money I need for repairs and medical expenses?
When will I receive the settlement?
Should I hire a lawyer?
Very often, car accident settlements don’t go the way anyone expects them to considering the complications which are involved.
Let us take a look at 5 things you should expect from a car accident settlement.
- Legal Liability
- Kind Of Expenses Covered
- Negotiation With Insurance Company
- Going To Court
- Time For Case Settlement
1. Legal Liability
The amount of money you receive from a car accident settlement will depend on who was responsible for the accident. If you had no role in it, you have a good chance of making a full financial recovery including all the expenses on ca damages.
This requires proof of a police report, pictures, and eyewitness testimonies.
However, if you had a small role to play in your accident, your compensation will definitely be cut down.
If you are blamed for an accident you didn’t cause, make sure you have a qualified lawyer to help defend your case.
2. Kind Of Expenses Covered
Apart from medical expenses, other kinds of expenses are covered by car accident settlements.
Under medical expenses, you are entitled to receive car accident compensation for everything ranging from ambulance services to doctor visits. You can also claim for continuing physical therapy for injuries sustained from the accident. If you develop a disability or start suffering from mental health conditions like anxiety – they will be taken into account as well.
Compensation for lost wages as a result of the accident will depend upon the severity of your injury. This can even result in monthly payments in the event of a permanent injury.
Apart from this, there are some other expenses like commuting expenses, fuel costs, childcare, and other miscellaneous expenses which are taken into account while deciding the settlement amount.
3. Negotiation With Insurance Company
Make sure you don’t give any statement to your insurance company without contacting your lawyer. They could reduce your compensation based on something you said. You might even be tempted to accept their initial offer which in reality could be much lower than what you are entitled to.
Hire a competent and qualified lawyer who will help you negotiate for a higher accident settlement.
4. Going To Court
Most of the time car accident cases don’t go to court.
In the event you don’t get a fair settlement your lawyer might advise you to file a personal injury lawsuit.
You will have to file a lot of other paperwork and obtain sufficient advice to build your case in court.
However, if it is clear who is at fault, the other party will avoid going to court and the case will get settled very quickly.
5. Time For Case Settlement
Your car accident settlement case can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to settle.
If there are complications or a lack of cooperation from the other party – the case will take much longer. It can even go on for years in special cases.
If you have the relevant medical records, evidence, witness testimonies and an excellent lawyer – you will get through it much sooner.
It is important to present solid evidence and file reports right from the moment of the accident in order to make sure you get the settlement you deserve.
Conclusion
It is important to stay clear-headed while dealing with a car accident settlement.
Impulsive thoughts and fear that might compel you to make some hasty decisions without consultation and this could have negative consequences.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.
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