After facing a devastating car accident, it is natural to look to maximize the claim amount. Hiring the best car accident attorney in Carmichael is a critical step, but other factors can also greatly influence your settlement amount. The settlement represents your ability to pay medical bills, resume work, and rebuild your life. However, how do you prove your case? How do you ensure you deserve the settlement? With the right attorney by your side and a strategic approach, you can strengthen your claim and secure the compensation you deserve.
Let us look at one of the crucial steps that ensure your voice is heard in the case and increase your claim amount. It is documenting your damages!
Why is documenting essential in increasing the claim?
We understand that a car accident is traumatic. But, among the chaos, you must collect and preserve documentation that supports your car accident claim. Proper documentation of damages can strengthen your car accident lawsuit and increase the chances of getting a fair amount as a settlement.
You can break down car accident expenses into various categories. This includes:
- Property damages
- Vehicle damages
- Physical injuries
- Other financial losses
In those cases where the accident happened at the fault of others, it makes sense to document the damages, right from injury, damages to till recovery stage. Gathering and documenting the evidence for damages, and injuries is a very crucial step after a car accident. It should be done as soon as possible after the accident has happened. This protects your legal rights and reinforces your potential car accident claim.
In addition, documenting the damages and submitting them as evidence will help in speeding up the settlement process. Remember, you should have a strong understanding of the value of the case. Unless you can’t tackle documenting the damages and losses, you probably end up receiving a reduced compensation amount as negotiated by the insurance provider.
Hiring a car accident attorney probably can support in successfully handling the processes related to documentation procedures and settlement.
Some of the important reasons to document the damages:
- Serves as pieces of evidence in supporting the claim
- Fortifies your legal stand
- Helps in calculating the exact compensation and losses
- Hurries the claim process and paves the way for quick disbursal
- Caters to tax purposes
- Supports in negotiating a fair settlement
- Insurance companies demand documentation
- Ensures that the fault is on the other side
The major reason behind documenting the damages is to ensure that the facts related to the accident, with the date, and time as you see them, are recorded. It becomes very essential, so that the other person, faulting his side, will probably try to change the details.
Identifying All Accident-Related Damages
When it comes to filing a claim based on the car accident law and against the negligent party, documentation is the key. In fact, automobile accident attorneys always insist on documentation in a car accident claim as it improves the chances of recovering the compensation you expect.
What are the important documents in a car accident claim?
Police Report
You should call the police after the accident scene, report the incident and request a copy of the police report.
Bills and receipts
If you have been suffering from any financial losses due to the accident, you should pay attention to recording all expenses right from medical attention, repairing the vehicle damages, and loss to wages, if any.
You can document lost wages with copies of missed work from the employer. Property damages can cover damage to any of your belongings in the vehicle like a phone.
Photographic Evidence
Photographs are very vital documents in proving the extent of damages and losses. You should take photos of the damages, the scene of the accident, and snaps of injuries and property or vehicle damage involved in the accident. This strongly supports your car accident lawsuit lawyer.
Medical records
If you were injured in a car accident, you should document all the medical treatment that you undergo. This medical documentation typically covers hospital records, medical bills, expenses related to medication and other long-term medical expenses if it involves.
Witness Statements
You must note down the names and contact details of the witnesses after the car accident. The testimonies of the witnesses are the must-have information on narrating how the accident happened and who was at fault.
Insurance Documentation
You should preserve all communication with the insurance company regarding the accident and claim. This includes emails, letters, and phone calls. It is always recommended to maintain the recordings whenever you have a conversation with the insurance provider related to the claim amount and accident.
If the insurance provider sends you any documents, say for example, as a settlement offer, you should maintain the copy safe and provide it to your car accident attorney.
Tips to gather and document your damages
- Ensure to keep all related and applicable documents in one place
- Label every document with its relevant description. Make it clear and understandable
- Keep a copy of all documents with yourself and hand over a set of copies to your car accident lawyer
- Sort the documents in the order, from most recent to the older
- You can include separators to identify the different types of documents
- Create a sheet and list out the details of all the documents that you have collected
- Make sure to maintain written statements in a simple, clear and legible format
- Ensure to have digital copies of all documents and images for backup purposes
Find an auto accident attorney to help with the case
The right documentation and the help of the attorney can go a long way in increasing the claim amount. Failure to document the damages can lead to suspicion of your losses and may stand as a favour for the other side. The biggest benefit of documentation is it helps in reconstructing the accident.
If you fail to document important details associated with the accident, you may lose some key evidence that supports your claim. This will end up with a reduced settlement offer or in worse cases can lead to denial of your claim.