Car accidents can leave victims and their families completely disoriented. The first thing on your mind is likely to be how you’ll get treated or ensure your loved one has received proper medical attention. The auto insurance claim usually comes as an afterthought.
Most people don’t know where to begin and are often left wondering if they’ll get compensated to address property damage or the resulting medical expenses after a car accident occurs. Filing a claim is sometimes the most important step to ensure you receive what you need to deal with the aftermath of a car accident. A successful claim can help you recover lost wages, get compensated for the medical bills, pain, and suffering endured after being involved in a car crash.
What To Do Immediately After A Car Accident
First, ensure that you and everyone else around is OK. Seek medical attention as soon as possible if you’ve sustained any injuries whether minor or major.
Secondly, get the necessary information from anyone involved in the accident. This includes the driver’s license information, contacts of eyewitnesses and license plate numbers. Take pictures of the accident scene to capture the vehicles involved, the injuries and damage sustained.
Contact the police to get a statement of the events leading to the accident. Reach out to your lawyer as well. A car accident lawyer can offer sound legal advice to ensure you get adequately compensated for any losses incurred.
Avoid discussing the accident with anyone who was involved. Insurance companies usually rush to the accident scene to try and collect evidence that would help them to minimize their payout. Don’t be quick to take any offers given by the insurance adjuster.
Keep a record of all your injuries and medical expenses. If a condition is getting worse after the accident, record this in a journal including details on how your daily life has been affected after the accident. Include any records of missed days at work due to the injuries sustained.
The Process Of Filing A Claim
First, you need to notify the insurance company that you are filing a claim. Work with an experienced personal injury lawyer who is well versed in auto insurance claims in Nova Scotia. This will prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of the lack of knowhow to convince the victim that the entire claim is capped. The lawyer may go ahead to file a Notice of Action as well as a Statement of Claim, which outlines the facts of your case. This includes the injuries that are sustained after the accident occurred and a list of all your losses.
Additional information such as the medical invoices, police reports, loss of income documentation and other relevant evidence may be required to support your claim. With the help of a lawyer, you should be entitled to compensatory damages for pecuniary losses as well as non-pecuniary damages for the non-monetary losses sustained such as loss of enjoyment of life, pain, and suffering.
Contact our legal team by calling 902-425-7330 or 1-800-465-8794.
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