You cannot surprise anyone with a car accident these days, when an estimated over 100 Americans are killed in motor vehicle collisions every single day. However, when you win your property damage or personal injury claim and recover a large compensation amount, people refuse to believe you.
Why is this happening? Because most people have no idea how to negotiate with their insurance company and handle their motor vehicle accident claim in a way that would help them obtain the maximum compensation they truly deserve.
Even though winning a car accident claim is no rocket science, there are still a couple of tricks to substantially increase your chances of success. And today, our Los Angeles car accident attorney is going to unveil these tricks to you.
In other words, do not let your insurance company or the at-fault driver trick you – or make a fool out of you – by putting these four tricks to use.
Snap away and document everything
You may have heard this before, but the pendulum of success swings in the direction of the party who has documented more about the accident and has more compelling evidence.
One way to ensure that you take the lead is to start accumulating evidence of the other motorist’s fault right away. Meaning: pull out your phone and start taking photographs and record videos of everything you think might be useful for determining fault and assessing the full value of damages (think: skid marks, car wreckage, empty bottles of beer in the other driver’s car, etc.). Also, do not underestimate the power of taking notes, as it is only natural for humans to forget tiny yet important details especially in a state of shock and in pain.
The more evidence you collect at the scene of the accident, the higher your chances of getting a fair settlement and winning the case, our best car accident attorneys in Los Angeles explain.
Keep your lips sealed
Remember the old saying, “your tongue can be your worst enemy”? Well, this is exactly the case when you let your tongue run loose at the scene of a car accident. Here is the thing: everything you say at the scene of the road crash – to the other driver, witnesses, police officers, and insurance agent – will be used against you.
So avoid making statements that make you look guilty, such as “I am so sorry,” or “I should not have done that…” Never jump to conclusions without allowing a skilled car accident attorney examine your case to determine liability. Even when you are certain that the other driver is at-fault, one wrong word or sentence can ruin your chances of recovering damages.
That is why it is highly advised to let your lawyer control the negotiation process and ensure that you are getting a fair settlement.
No initial settlement offer is good enough
If you are being offered an initial settlement offer by your insurance company or the insurer of the at-fault driver, do not be naïve to think for even a second that this is being done because they all want you to get a fair compensation as soon as possible.
Do not forget that we live in a rather ugly world where everyone defends his/her own interests. An initial settlement offer exists for one and only reason: so that you (the victim) accept the minimum compensation without evaluating the full value of your injuries and damages. Most insurers offer initial settlement offers before you even get the chance to contact a Los Angeles motor vehicle accident lawyer to get a free consultation and assess your damages.
Launch an independent investigation
Letting your insurance company conduct an investigation into your car accident is the same as appointing a thief who has stolen your vehicle to be the lead detective in your grand theft auto case. It makes no sense.
You have to understand this once and for all: insurance companies are looking out for their own interests. Period. Only an experienced car crash attorney can conduct a fair and unbiased investigation of your case to truly find out who is at fault and maximize your compensation.
