How to Know If You Qualify to File a Claim for a Rear-End Collision
Rear-end collisions happen every day caused by various misfortunes, including failed brakes, miscalculated speed, and lack of concentration on the road. At least 1.7 million rear-end accidents happen in the United States yearly, and the figures keep rising. In any accident, the at-fault insurance company has to pay for the damages and injuries to the affected parties. The compensation will depend if the parties agree on who caused the accident and the circumstances behind it. How does one qualify for a rear-end collision claim? There are steps you need to check, which include the following.
1. Check for the injuries
The first step you should take immediately after a rear-end collision is to seek medical attention. After suffering slight or no injuries in this accident, most people do not attend the hospital. There are two typical reasons why you should seek medical attention. First, you may never know how extended the injuries are until you have done a thorough medical examination. The doctors will check on the physical and internal organs to ensure everything is okay by seeking medical attention. Secondly, according to this Detroit rear end collision lawyer, your injury claim will require a doctor’s report. If you don’t attend the hospital, you won’t have the information, which will make your case weaker or impossible to carry on. It is essential to attend the hospital first before anything else and hand over all the details to your attorney.
2. Contact the police
Whether there are injuries and damages or not, you should contact the police immediately after suffering a rear-end collision. Other than the police clearing the accident scene, they will write the accident report required by the insurance companies and the courts for your case. The police also clear the accident scene and minimize confrontations between the two drivers and determine who is at fault. After writing down the report, you can ask the police for a copy to help you build up your case. At times, the other driver might coerce you to settle the matter without the police. As a law-abiding citizen, avoid future inconveniences, accept such offers, and always call the police. Even after you have agreed with the driver at fault to repair your vehicle, it’s important to pass by the police station and give a report about the accident. This idea prevents getting sabotaged behind your back.
3. Document all the information
You cannot qualify to file for a claim if you don’t have any evidence of the collision. Documenting the accident scene needs to be done before the accident scene is cleared. If heading to the hospital, ensure you have someone gather the evidence, including the accident scene, the vehicles, surroundings, weather conditions, and record a witness’s narration concerning the accident. It is also essential to get the witnesses’ contacts and get the other drivers’ contact information, including the driver’s license, vehicle details, insurance details, and their situation at the time of the accident. Other than details of the accident scene, it is essential to keep your medical records and other expenses used to travel to the hospital and other inconveniences you may suffer while attending to the accident plus its damages.
Get yourself a lawyer
Sometimes, you may never know if you qualify for compensation until an attorney gives clues you qualify for a claim. In this situation, you need to find yourself a competent lawyer who will guide you from the accident scene until when the insurance company compensates you. The lawyer will help you gather evidence, tabling facts, getting the police report, and standing with you against the insurance company to see you compensated. They also help file your case in a court of law if they see the insurance company is unjust about your claim. Experts recommend getting a reliable attorney at the initial stages of an accident.
4. Never admit fault
Never admit you are at fault in an accident even when the other party insists it was you. Let the evidence and all documentation reveal the person at fault. You should avoid giving clues to show you caused the accident, including saying sorry to the victims. If overwhelmed by the situation, it is better to let your lawyer take the mantle and handle your case. Agreeing to be at fault makes you liable for the accident, and it’s your insurance company that will need to pay for the damages. Suppose you don’t have anything to say during an accident. In that case, it’s better to keep quiet and let the law enforcers and insurance company handle the job. Your lawyer will also be useful in such situations.
Anyone who has suffered an accident caused by someone else can qualify for a compensation claim. You only need to table the facts right, gather the evidence, get a competent lawyer, and file your case until the insurance company pays or is assisted by the court. Some of the compensations catered for in this claim include Medical expenses, damages to the vehicle, loss of time and wages, and much more.
