If you’ve been reading through our materials or have seen our videos, you know that insurance companies have tricks up their sleeve. These are all designed to pay out less or nothing at all.
Because of these tricks, insurance companies know that they can either make a quick payout for well below the value of the claim or delay things to try to defend or deny it. Meanwhile, they can grind the car accident victim down in the process of asking for more information.
Whether you ultimately decide to retain a Sacramento car accident attorney or not, these tips can help you to maximize your accident settlement.
1. Keep Organized and Accurate Records
Our Auto Accident Checklist can help with what to do immediately after a car accident. Beyond that, it is important to try to keep your records organized and accurate. You will be gathering police reports, medical treatment documentations, potential witness statements, pictures of the scene/damage, and documentation about lost wages/missed work.
The other driver’s insurance company will already be ahead of you when it comes to collecting items. As soon as they are notified of the claim, they begin their process. It is a well-oiled machine that has gone through hundreds of thousands of claims and knows exactly what to do. This could be your first accident claim. If you don’t keep organized and accurate records, they will be able to potentially poke holes in your claim to deny or defend against it.
2. Photographs
Photographs are an extremely important part of your accident claim. With the advent of smartphones, almost everyone has a camera in their pocket. If you’re able to, take pictures of the scene and how the cars ended up. Make sure to document pictures of your injury throughout the process if it’s something you can see. Make sure to also take pictures of ID cards, driver’s licenses of drivers and witnesses, registration and insurance (front and back of both). This way you don’t have to worry about writing it all down and losing it. If you take pictures of all these things, they will be right there in your phone and easily transferrable.
3. Don’t Accept the First Offer from the Insurance Company
Insurance adjusters are trained negotiators. They know exactly what to say and do in each situation to try to pay out less. In fact, they are actually paid a bonus for claims that are denied or pay out below the policy limits.
Insurance companies know that people have bills to pay and may be in a tough spot financially. They will use this to their advantage under the guise of “help getting the claim processed.” A quick claims process and check doesn’t always mean a good one. Don’t let the insurance companies get away with paying you less than what your claim is worth by accepting the first offer.
4. Follow the Doctor’s Orders
We can’t stress this one enough. If you’re in a car accident, make sure you seek medical attention! If you didn’t go to the ER directly after the accident, make sure to set up an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can. After you’ve seen the doctor, make sure you follow what they say to do.
This is extremely important when it comes to maximizing your car accident settlement because insurance companies will ask about your medical treatment. If you just say you’re injured without any support from a doctor, they aren’t going to give you much. Insurance companies will want proof: medical records, medical bills, doctor’s notes, etc. They will also want to see that you followed through on the recovery plan. For example: being prescribed physical therapy but then never attending the sessions. This will devalue your claim.
If there is any gap in treatment, i.e., long periods of time between seeking medical treatment, then the insurance company will take this as you weren’t injured anymore. They will likely refuse to pay for any additional medical bills after the gap in treatment. Depending on the gap or missed treatment, a substantial portion of your medical bills may not be covered. So make sure you stick to the doctor’s treatment plan after a car accident.
5. Maintain a Journal of Your Injuries
An important aspect is to keep a detailed journal of how the injuries affect your everyday life. This includes everyday things that you would normally do: drive, get groceries, work in the garden, exercise, play sports, etc.
You will want to make sure you document the date, time, and the type of pain and/or discomfort that you feel. When asking for compensation for pain and suffering, the detail will help to strengthen your case.
If the case goes to trial, it can be hard to recollect any given day from two years ago while you were still recovering from your accident. With a journal, you’ll have a detailed book of just how much the injury affected you and can paint a clear picture to the judge and jury.
Hopefully these tips will help you to maximize your Sacramento car accident settlement. If you need help evaluating your claim or have any questions, please feel free to contact us to see what we can do for you.
