When a car accident occurs, innocent victims could suffer injuries. A negligent driver may crash into another car, causing harm and property damage, likely leaving the victims with financial losses. Medical bills, lost wages and ruined belongings might prompt the victim to file an insurance claim. However, victims might need to be careful when dealing with insurance companies.
Post-accident cautions
When someone lacks experience dealing with insurance companies, they could make mistakes that undermine their claim. If the negligent party’s insurance company contacts a victim, the victim may find it best to refer it to their representative or insurance provider. The insurance company may be looking for excuses not to pay or pay less, and a misconstrued statement could work in the insurance company’s favor.
Insurance companies will want to settle an accident for the lowest amount of money possible. If the claimant accepts a low offer, they could hurt themselves financially. The claimant may have compelling evidence that proves the full value of their losses and expenses. However, they may feel the need to settle quickly to receive money, even though they could end up with less than they deserve.
Dealing with the insurance company
The insurance company needs to know the pertinent facts related to the crash. Claims after motor vehicle accidents based on someone’s liability must show that the person was negligent in some way. Police reports detailing a driver’s intoxication or dashcam footage of a reckless moving violation may prove the case. Discussing irrelevant matters or going into unnecessary detail might not work in the claimant’s favor.
If the policy’s limits are too low to cover all the losses, accident victims could decide to file a lawsuit.