If you plan to settle your own car accident claim, you want to follow best practices to ensure you get more money. The tips below should help you get more money for your damages. However, there are many cases where you are better off having a car accident lawyer in Portland Oregon handle the case. If you have serious injuries, you are usually better off with an experienced car accident lawyer in Portland Oregon fighting for your rights.

If you do decide to handle the claim in a minor accident, start the claim as soon as you can. It’s best to call your insurance company immediately after the accident. This is when your memory is freshest. Tell them what happened to the best of your knowledge. Stick to the facts and don’t offer opinions or leave anything out. If you think you were partially at fault, you should tell them that.

Next, you want to remember to include all of your expenses when calculating what a fair settlement would be. Some laypeople don’t remember to include all of their costs, which may include:

• The cost of medical bills and all related expenses
• How much income you lost because of your injuries
• Whether you will need long term medical care and if you are disabled
• Any pain and suffering you have
• The cost of getting your vehicle back on the road
• Damage to any other property you own such as computers, clothing, cell phones, etc.

When you add up all of these, you should set up a bare minimum amount you will accept and not go below it. If you aren’t sure how to value pain and suffering, this is a good time to call a car accident lawyer in Portland Oregon for help.

Remember these tips so you can get the best settlement for your injuries.