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Improve Your Insurance Settlement by Knowing What to do After the Accident...
The accident has happened and now you need to start thinking about your insurance settlement. You're pretty sure you know who's at fault - maybe it’s one person, several people or a company.
You’ve got medical bills to pay. You've got lost wages to make up. You might even want compensation for a lot of undue pain.
Because of all this, you want to get the biggest insurance settlement possible. This is money that you need, and it’s money that you deserve. Some of it may even be money you want to take just to punish the people at fault.
All of that is fair and just.
Still, no matter how obvious things may be to you, the insurance company isn’t going to just give their money away. They'll do everything they can to show that their client wasn’t the only one liable, or that your damages weren’t as severe as you say. This is a natural part of the insurance settlement process and you have to be prepared.
What we’ll cover in this section:
* The first few days after your accident are the most important to your accident claim. There are actions you need to take to protect yourself, and to prepare for filing your claim.
* Your health should be your first priority in your accident, especially when a neck injury could be involved. It's important to seek medical attention to insure your good health, to identify seen or unseen injuries and to have all this information on record. Your accident claim can be affected by these factors.
* Written documentation of your accident is important. From notes at the scene to claim letters sent to your insurance company, you need written proof to support your claim. Keeping good records of everything relating to your accident claim will smooth your way in the filing process.
* Bite your tongue. There are a some things you just shouldn’t say while processing your claim. Don't absolve other parties because they're upset at the scene, don't admit to fault and don't sign anything.
* Accident pictures bring reality to your claim. Pictures taken at the scene make your claim more believable and dramatic - improving your chances for a fair insurance settlement offer. After your accident, keep your cool and aim your camera phone!
* Convincing evidence is an important aid to your settlement. The more evidence you gather, the greater chance for your settlement to be paid by the insurance company. Learn the different kinds of evidence and how to collect them.
* Witness statements back up your story of the accident. Witnesses may be friends who were with you at the scene, or strangers who saw your accident. You should be prepared to ask witnesses the right questions, in the right way, to strengthen your case.
* A statute of limitation is a legal guideline for how long you can wait to file a lawsuit. It's important to know the limitation statute that applies to your case. Your ability to file may depend on it.
* Bad faith insurance practices are an unfortunate element you may encounter when filing your claim. But if you're familiar with what they are, you can protect yourself against them. You need to be prepared to defend your claim and your right to file against unethical adjusters.
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