Personal Injury – Motor Vehicle Accidents
Imagine driving on the highway, it’s a nice sunny day, you have the windows down and you’re listening to your favorite radio station. Out of nowhere another car hits you. You’ve never been in this predicament before and now you are trying to balance doctor’s appointments, auto repairs, and everything else you have going on in your life. Here, is what we can do for you and some helpful tips to consider!
When a lawyer gets your personal injury case, we start by gathering all of the facts of what happened. This helps us to identify what else we may need to investigate and obtain evidence on your behalf. Evidence such as nearby video footage from a business that may have captured the accident. Tip #1: Always file a police report When a police officer responds to the scene of an accident, they obtain each parties information including insurance information and they also may take pictures of the property damage. This information is useful in helping us to report the claim and establish liability.
We can also assist with your property damage. We will reach out to the insurance company and assist with setting up an appraisal. Tip #2: Update your insurance policy coverage A lot of people think once their vehicle is paid off, they no longer need collision or rental coverage on their policy, but it is extremely beneficial in case you get in an accident and the defendant does not have insurance, or they have minimal policy coverage. It is better to pay the little extra to protect yourself!
While we are assisting with your property damage, the only thing we want you to have to worry about is taking care of yourself. Treatment is vital in order to get you back to where you were before the accident. We will be reaching out to you to go over your treatment updates and see how you are doing and can also help with scheduling an initial physical therapy or chiropractor appointment. Tip #3: Talk to your medical providers about all of the signs and symptoms you are experiencing A car is meant to sustain such impact in an accident that a human body is not. Although it can take a while to start to feel better again, it is best to mention to your providers everything that you are feeling and experiencing as it can be an indication of something underlying that requires greater attention.
Once you are released from treatment we will obtain all the records and bills from the providers you sought treatment with in order to prepare a demand package to send to the insurance company. Tip #4: Although not necessary, it is helpful to keep a list of medical providers and their locations to provide to your Attorney so nothing is missed We will also reach out to your employer to get your lost wages, if you missed time from work. Tip #5: For us to be able to claim lost wages you will need to obtain a doctor’s note taking you out of work After we receive the records, bills and lost wages, if there are any, we will go over the demand with you to ensure that everything is accounted for.
The demand is sent to the insurance company and negotiations will begin thereafter. Negotiating can take some time as we are doing everything we can to maximize your settlement. Once a settlement is reached, we will start confirming balances with all of the providers that you sought treatment to check for anything outstanding, not covered by insurance. By law we are required to pay these balances and check for health insurance liens as well. When that process is concluded, the Attorney will go over everything with you to sign for your settlement. We know that this process is not easy, but we appreciate you for trusting Rob Levine and Associates to handle your case with care!
