When a person is injured in an accident, they are very likely to have multiple doctor’s appointments and miss time away from work. They will also have to file an insurance claim. There are a few pieces of evidence that any insurance adjuster will look for when reviewing a claim. When an injured person collects documentation of their injuries and expenses, there are a few questions the evidence they collect should answer.
What happened during the accident?
Collecting evidence at the scene is very important. When you have an accident, you should pull over to the side of the road and find out if there are injuries. You must call the police and wait for them to arrive.
Most attorneys will tell you not to admit to guilt even if you think you caused the accident. Instead, tell them only the basic facts that you remember. You should also ask them for a copy of the accident report.
Get the phone number of anyone who may have seen the collision and exchange insurance information with the other driver. It is a good idea to take pictures if you can.
Documenting Your Medical Expenses
You should always go to the doctor’s office after an accident even if you feel just fine. There might be some injuries that are not apparent right away.
Be sure to keep a copy of every medical bill you receive. If you have to take therapeutic services, be sure to save those bills as well. Collect the receipts from any medication you have taken, whether it is prescription or non-prescription. You may want to keep a journal of your recovery progress as well.
Collect Evidence of Lost Wages
You will want to get your employer to write you a letter documenting the hours you have missed from work and the wages you have lost because of it. It is a good idea to save the receipts for any help you have needed around the house.
If you have missed an important life event because of your injuries, you should document that as well. If you had to miss a business or personal trip because of your injuries, save the receipts for any non-refundable expenses such as airline tickets.
When you call your insurance company, they will ask you to provide them with all of the evidence you have collected from your accident. The sooner you get it to them, the sooner they can begin their investigation.
In the state of California, an insurance company will have 40 days to accept or deny your claim. If they accept your claim, they will make you a settlement offer. If the offer is not acceptable to you, you should contact a personal injury attorney.
Your attorney will want to see all of the paperwork and pictures that you have collected. They will be able to negotiate with the insurance company for you. A professional lawyer will be well versed in arguing with insurance adjusters. If your attorney and the insurance company cannot come to an agreement, you will review the documentation you have collected and you can discuss the viability of a lawsuit.
Saving your paperwork and contacting your insurance company in a timely fashion will help you get the money you need to move on with your life. You can find more here about the evidence required for a personal injury claim.
