Car accident claims: Decoding and understanding the process

Coverage of this article

1. Introduction
- Car accidents are, unfortunately, a common occurrence throughout the world. In the UK, the 2021 annual report shows that approximately 1,558 people lost their lives as a result of traffic collisions

2. What is an accident claim?
- Every accident settlement is calculated based on the particulars of the case to obtain a fair outcome.

3. Deadlines
- After you've experienced an accident, you'll want to take time off to recover

4. Checklist
- You can't file a claim without first assembling all the information you'll need to help your case succeed in court.

5. Avoid Setbacks
- To ensure your claiming process is successful, you must also eliminate any setback that might change the final results.

Car accidents are, unfortunately, a common occurrence throughout the world. In the UK, the 2021 annual report shows that approximately 1,558 people lost their lives as a result of traffic collisions. While the figures show an 11% decrease compared to 2019, more work still needs to be done before the roads are safe for everybody. If you are the injured party in an accident, and another driver's negligence caused the collision, you'll want to file a legal claim in the aftermath. Knowing what to do in such a situation is very important, as it can ensure a more successful outcome overall.

Everything will be quite chaotic after the accident, with first responders, insurance companies and other authorities trying to make sense of the events. Being prepared helps you minimise the impact of this stressful event, so you can solve this situation as fast as possible and return to your everyday life.

What is an accident claim?

You can file a car accident claim in the aftermath of a collision when you believe the other party was to blame for what happened. They might have exhibited risky behaviour behind the wheel or been negligent, leading to the accident. You'll have to reach out to a compensation claim attorney to be able to get the remuneration you request, which will be according to the amount of damage you've sustained.

Every accident settlement is calculated based on the particulars of the case in order to obtain a fair outcome. Victims with minor injuries will get less than those with chronic health damage and permanent illness. If you're the victim of such a mishap, you should know that the claims aim to obtain compensation for additional damages, including for affected property, lost wages or financial distress due to medical bills, as well as emotional pain and grief.

Deadlines

After you've experienced an accident, you'll want to take time off to recover. If your injuries are severe, you'll be advised by your doctor to take an extended period off, during which you focus on your well-being. However, even if your physical health wasn't in serious jeopardy, you'll still need to rest and take some time to recover after everything that happened. At the same time, you must be aware that there's a deadline after which you won't be able to start a claim anymore.

Make sure to check the policies in your region in order to determine how you'll be able to file the claim within the designated time frame. Generally, the maximum span is within three years, either from the day of the collision or after you became aware of the extent of the damages. Nonetheless, as a general rule, you should try to complete the claim as soon as possible. If too much time passes, a lawyer will have a more difficult time ascertaining the extent of the harm. In fact, some might even find the task close to impossible.

Therefore, you must be aware of the statute of limitations and ensure you don't exceed its deadline to file your lawsuit.

Checklist

You can't file a claim without first assembling all the information you'll need to help your case succeed in court. If the other driver or drivers are reasonable, you should exchange information with them as soon as possible. It's essential to approach this situation calmly and maturely to avoid additional problems. Road rage is highly probable during such a situation, but trying to mediate the crisis for a successful outcome is momentous. If the other party is entirely uncooperative or becomes aggressive, stay aside. Look for a safe spot from which you can contact the authorities.

It's also important to have photographic evidence as soon as possible. This should include the licence plates of everyone involved, as well as the vehicles. If your car has been severely damaged, make sure to have clear pictures of all the scrapes and dents. If the road conditions were in any way unfavourable due to snow, rain or sleet, you should also include that. Taking photos with a device with a date and time stamp, such as your smartphone, means avoiding any questions and ambiguity regarding when exactly the collision occurred.

Avoid setbacks

To ensure your claiming process is successful, you must also eliminate any setback that might change the final results. Apart from failing to start your lawsuit in time or waiting too long, causing the details to get uncertain and the witnesses unreliable, there are a few other things you should be aware of.

First and foremost, you need to make sure that the accident wasn't preventable on your part. For example, if you left an unlicensed driver behind the wheel, you won't be entitled to a settlement and compensation. Another thing you must consider is getting medical attention as soon as possible. In the case of minor injuries, you might want to delay going to the doctor. However, some health damage only occurs after several hours and sometimes even days.

Not going to the doctor to get an expert opinion will deprive you of substantial evidence you can bring to court to help your case. A medical practitioner's objective view might mean that you get more compensation. Neglecting this aspect, however, the authorities might find the case suspicious and require an additional investigation into your motives and the circumstances of the crash.

And avoid saying anything that could incriminate you before filing the lawsuit. Don't claim responsibility for anything, and avoid oversharing. Being chatty might cause you to say things that, although harmless, signify something else in a legal context. Keep your exchanges amiable but focused on sharing the necessary information.

To sum up, filing a claim in the aftermath of a car accident can be difficult, as there are many things you need to keep in mind. However, you don't need a background in law to have a successful outcome. Working with a dedicated team of attorneys and having a solid support system around you during this challenging time will help you get through it successfully.