Insurance companies do not necessarily serve people well, and often, this becomes readily apparent in the event of a car accident. Here are ten things you should know before beginning the process of car accident litigation:
- At the scene of the accident, always record the names and telephone numbers of witnesses. They may be wonderful assets to ensure that you are not saddled with responsibility for an accident that was not your fault.
- Get a business card from the police officer who comes to the scene. Make sure you know the accident number he or she assigns to the case.
- Do not admit fault for the car accident! Admitting that you are at fault automatically assigns yourself all of the economic and legal responsibility for the accident.
- If the design of the road is at fault in the accident, you could contact the governmental agency in charge, and they may take responsibility for all or part of the accident.
- Be sure to check your state laws for “no-fault” auto insurance laws. Often these laws mean that there is no consideration as to who caused the car accident; either way, your insurance is given the responsibility to pay for the claim, with the at-fault driver being charged higher premiums. This may mean that there is no need for you to seek car accident litigation.
- There may be a time limit for filing an insurance claim—make sure that you do not miss this time limit. Otherwise, your claim might be considered invalid.
- Never sign waivers or deposit insurance company checks without reading them thoroughly. If there is something you don’t understand, make sure you do. Seek help from an attorney.
- Insurance agents may underestimate the amount of damages you incurred in the accident. Always be wary of the figure your insurance agent gives you. You may have another agent look at it or research common claims for the type of accident.
- Sometimes insurance agencies check credit histories and charge more for those who have worse credit. It is important to have a reliable estimate of your credit and make sure that there are no errors.
- Last but certainly not least, never take your insurance agent’s advice as the last word! Research everything yourself, seek other opinions, and make sure you are making the right decisions.