Personal Injury Attorneys Need to Act Quickly

Posted on: 14 April 2020

If you have never handled a third party auto accident claim, then you might not know where to begin. Below are some of the steps you should take if you want to file such a claim.

Notify Relevant Parties

The police and your insurance company need to know about the accident as soon as possible. In most cases, the police arrive at an accident scene and collect relevant information. If the police don't come, notify them as soon as possible so that they can generate an accident report for you. The report will contain information about the accident, including the location, date, and parties to the accident.

You also need to inform your auto insurance company. Insurance companies have policies that require their clients to report auto accidents irrespective of liability. You should notify your insurance company even if you don't plan to file an auto accident claim. After all, you might change your mind later on and file a claim. The insurance company also needs to know about the accident because the other party might file their own claim or counterclaim.

Gather Relevant Information

Gather the information necessary for the claim. Anything related to the accident can help, but the following are the crucial information you should include:

• Name and contact information of the other driver
• The other driver's insurance company
• Names and contacts of potential witnesses
• The identification of police officers who responded to the accident

Get as much documentation as you can about the accident.

Determine the Damages

You also need to know how much the accident has cost you before you file your claim. According to injury.findlaw.com, here are some of the auto accident damages to include:

• Medical bills
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium

Remember to include both past and future damages. An auto accident lawyer can help you come up with accurate damages.

Send a Demand Letter

Send a demand letter to the liable party once you have all the relevant information. The demand letter requests that the other party pay compensation for damages you incurred in the auto accident. If the person has auto insurance, then the demand letter will go to their auto insurance company.

Here are some of the things to include in the demand letter:

• Your identification
• A summary of the accident
• Your injuries or property damages
• The value of your damages (mention a specific figure)
• A deadline for the response

Again, an auto accident lawyer can help you craft a compelling, accurate, and professional demand letter.

Note that you don't have to do all the above on your own. If you are overwhelmed, consult a car accident lawyer and let them help you throughout the whole ordeal.