A car accident can be traumatic. Besides the shock, there are sometimes physical injuries. Treatment may lead to high medical bills. Recovery could mean missing work, triggering a loss of income.
Negate these financial stressors by filing a bodily injury claim with vehicle insurance. Understanding the process will better your chances of receiving ample compensation.
How to file a bodily injury claim
Payment depends on your ability to prove serious harm. Save all medical documents during your treatment, including doctor bills and test results. Have a strategy for keeping everything safe.
Whether you file with your insurance or that of the other driver depends on varying matters. For example, where you live makes a difference. Once the insurance company has your paperwork, an insurance adjuster will reach out. Be ready with medical receipts, proof of lost wages and details of the crash.
In time, the adjuster may return with a settlement offer. You can accept this proposal or reject it. Should you take the money, you will be forfeiting the right to pursue further damages.
Tips on filing a bodily injury claim
Harm from accidents sometimes appears slowly. Seek medical treatment even if you feel fine. A serious problem may not yet be evident.
When weighing a settlement offer, consider the long-term costs of the crash. Also, beware of unnecessary tests. The insurance company will refuse to pay for procedures it deems nonessential.
Vehicle wrecks are never fun, yet they are worse when you get hurt. Understanding the bodily injury claims process is mandatory for all roadside victims.