After a car accident, you may feel in a hurry to get your claim settled. This is understandable, but it’s a mistake if you have serious damages and injuries. It pays to be thorough and patient to get the best settlement. Below are some helpful tactics to employ as you talk to the insurance claim adjuster. If run into difficulty, remember to talk to a skilled car accident lawyer Portland. First, you should never be in a hurry to settle your claim, no matter what the insurance company says or does. After your injuries, the other driver’s insurance company may contact you right away to settle the claim. They want to get the settlement done as soon as possible before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
Many people don’t understand this is a classic insurance company tactic. You should wait until you have been thoroughly evaluated by your medical professional and you understand all of your injuries.
Next, don’t take the first insurance company offer. Insurance companies will never make a fair settlement offer out of the gate. They understand that most car accident victims don’t know how to value a claim. They especially don’t understand what pain and suffering is worth. It also is recommended to run any settlement offer by a car accident lawyer in Portland before you accept it. If the attorney thinks it’s a fair offer, they’ll tell you.
Also, have excellent documentation of your economic losses and how the accident has affected your life. You should have records showing all of your medical bills, lost earnings, and out-of-pocket expenses. All insurance companies will require documented evidence of your losses before they will settle a case. Regarding pain and suffering, keep a journal that details your pain and all of the activities that you cannot do because of your injuries.
If you miss work time, be sure your doctor gives you a note that says you cannot do your job.
Another important thing to do is follow all of your doctor’s recommendations. You have a duty under personal injury law to mitigate your damages. So, you need to take reasonable actions to reduce your losses.
Last, remember to think about hiring a personal injury attorney if your damages and injuries are more than a few hundred dollars. Insurance companies know how to take advantage of people who don’t have an attorney representing them. Once the insurance company knows you have an attorney you will find negotiating with them will probably get easier and settlement offers will increase.
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