The first step in dealing with car accident settlements is to make sure you collect all the information that you will need to support your claim.  This begins immediately after the traffic accident.  The pieces of evidence that you will need include, but may not be limited do:

• Accident Facts
• Medical Records
• Wage slips and other proof of financial losses related to the accident
• Any evidence you can offer of pain and suffering that was a direct result of the accident

Collecting this information will make the rest of the auto accident settlement process much easier and less time consuming.  If you save everything and do this right, you should be able to settle for more and quicker than you otherwise would have been able to.

The next step in the car lawsuit settlement process is to submit all the materials and evidence that the insurance adjuster requires.  Usually this will be shortly followed by a settlement offer from the adjuster.  If it takes too long for him to submit an offer, you can mail a demand letter of your own, but beware because this gives away a log of your bargaining power.  Only do this if you know for sure what you are doing.

The number that the adjuster gives you is probably at the low end of a settlement range that he would be willing to agree to.  Many insurance companies base this range off of the personal injury settlement software Colossus, but the degree to which they rely on the program varies.  The program itself is shrouded in secrecy, and the only details that seem to get out are that the figures are highly correlated to your medical records.

So how can you use all this to help in negotiations?  Well, you know that more often than not, the insurance adjuster has a range and he will be giving you the low end of that range.  So, never agree to the first offer.  Instead try to bargain for a higher one and find the top end of his range.

This, however, doesn’t mean you should make ridiculous offers.  The lower the number, the tighter the range an adjuster will likely agree to, so an offer for a $1,000 settlement won’t likely turn into $10,000.  More likely, you will be able to negotiate it up to $2,500 or $3,000.

That’s all that’s involved in dealing with automobile accident settlements.  If you hit an impasse or feel like you’re in over your head, there are several options available to you, but the best option is to hire a lawyer.  While it’s also the most expensive option, it will make sure you don’t get taken advantage of.  You can find many different good lawyers online.

What You Should Do as Soon As Possible

As soon as possible, make sure that you contact your insurance company and inform them of the crash.  Also make sure to record any details of the crash that you can.  This includes both writing down details and taking pictures as the scene of the accident if you are able to.  If you feel injured, make sure that you head to a hospital or doctors office right away to get checked out and keep the receipt.  Also make sure to keep a copy of the police report from the accident.  Also make sure you write down the the contact information of any witnesses to the accident, especially if they can prove there was no driver alert at the wheel of the other car.  Finally, whatever you do, never ever admit any liability in the accident whatever you do.  If you admit guilt, you’ll more than likely be given fault for the accident. Not only will this preclude any settlements that you can claim, it will also prevent you from being able to save money on car insurance in the future. The more you do at the scene of the accident, the easier it will be to get the compensation from the car accident you deserve.

Property Damage in a Car Accident Claim

If you were driving, its most likely that you have sustained at least some degree of property damage to your car.  To ensure that all the damages to your car are properly paid for and repaired, you need to take the following steps:

1. Keep all receipts related to towing and storage
2. Get two estimates of the cost of the damages to your car
3. If it’s possible, take your car to a certified dealer from the insurance company you are dealing with
4. Talk to the insurance company about obtaining a rental car
5. When the damages are repaired, keep the receipt and send it to your insurance company.

Dealing with Cases of Bodily Injury

For cases dealing with bodily injury claims, make sure you keep all your records relating to any hospital or doctor’s visits related to the accident.  Also make sure that you sign a medical release to the insurance company can view your medical records to review them for their purposes.  If you’ve sustained any kind of serious injury, you should strongly consider hiring a lawyer.  The lawyer will better be able to represent your case, make sure you submit paperwork correctly, and make sure that you are properly rewarded for the time that you spent injured.

Filing a car accident claim is not incredibly difficult on the surface, but you must be sure to get it right.  Any oversights or mistakes that you make, especially in larger cases, can be pounced on by the insurance company to undermine your case.  Make sure that you get your claim right!