If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious car accident, figuring out what to do next can be a challenge, especially when someone else’s negligence causes the accident.
Here is a step-by-step guide to help you find a compensation claim after being involved in a serious car accident.
1. Recover from the Trauma
After you have been involved in a car accident, your priority should be to check if you are okay. If you had passengers with you, you should check for their safety as well. If all seems well, you should move on to the other parties involved in your accident and check for their safety.
Once everything is said and done, you should start to focus on your well-being. A car accident can be a very traumatic experience, and you should not take it lightly; you should address the physical as well as the emotional implications of your car accident head-on.
2. Document Your Injuries
If you have been unfortunate enough to have been injured in your car accident, you should document your injuries. Once you are at the hospital and they have bandaged you up, you should take photos of your injuries. You can also make written notes and attach pictures of your injuries with them.
In addition to that, you can document how long it takes for you to recover from your injuries and if you have lost any functionality of your body. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, you should document it in order to seek compensation for it.
3. Take Detailed Photos and Videos
Another thing that you have to remember after your accident is to take detailed photos and videos of the incident. If you have not been injured in the accident and you can walk around, then you should take detailed videos of all the vehicles involved in the incident.
You should try to show the direction in which the vehicles were traveling and the exact location of the impact. If there are traffic lights or stop signs present at the location, you should document them as well. This can help you later on in the court of law.
4. Gather all the Evidence Needed
Once you are able to take all the photos and videos of the incident, your next focus should be on gathering all the evidence. In addition to your photos and videos, you should ask people who have witnessed the incident to provide a statement on video.
You can also ask for a copy of the police report to make it a part of your records. If you are able to get security camera footage of the accident, you should try to secure a copy of that as well. All of these things will come in handy if you decide to sue or get sued by the other party.
5. Enlist the Help of Legal Experts
After you have covered all of your bases, your next step should be to get in touch with a legal expert. Your focus should be to find a lawyer in your locality who specializes in car accident matters. This will enable you to get the best advice possible on the matter.
For example, if you live in the Denver area, you can look for Denver Car Accident Lawyers to find reliable legal support for you. You can discuss your case with them and come up with a plan for a compensation claim in order to hold the liable party responsible.
6. Contact Your Insurance Provider
Another thing that you have to do in order to make your compensation claim is to get in touch with your insurance provider. You should be able to get the damage reports and a copy of the estimate to fix your vehicle. These will be produced by an independent shop that is a credible source.
You can use all of this information to form your compensation claim down the lane. The cost of repairs will provide you with a solid basis to create your compensation claim. This way, you will be able to support your claim for the amount of compensation that you are seeking.
7. Compile a Paper Trail of Evidence
A paper trail of evidence is crucial to have if you are trying to form a compensation claim. This paper trail can involve things like your medical bills, your other living expenses incurred during your recovery process, and lost wages due to your injury.
In addition to that, the estimate for the repair cost of your vehicle and the police report will also be included in this paper trail. Your job is to get copies of all these relevant documents in order to form a solid compensation claim.
8. Prepare to Serve the Liable Party
Once you and your lawyers are confident that you have everything you need when it comes to documentation, the next step would be to formulate the compensation claim and serve the liable party. You have to identify the liable parties for your injuries and monetary loss.
During the formulation and drafting of your compensation claim, you have to carefully come up with a number for the compensation that you are owed in order to make your claim successful. If you move forward with an arbitrary number, you will not be able to justify it in court.
9. Listen to Your Lawyer’s Advice
Another crucial thing that you have to keep in mind is the importance of your lawyer’s opinion. In order to make your compensation claim successful, you have to make sure that you listen to the advice of your lawyer. Your lawyer will be able to guide you the best.
This is why you should consult your lawyer for every step that you take when it comes to your compensation claim. From deciding the amount of compensation to evidence and hearing, you should listen to your lawyer. When it comes to settling the matter, you should let your lawyer handle the negotiations.
