George K.
Injuries can get complicated, and if not handled properly, can lead to emotional distress on top of the physical. Especially when you don’t know what to do. When you are injured, the party responsible for your injury or your insurance company is obligated to provide you with compensation. They are required to cover all your medical bills as well. In this article, we’ll share some vital information you must know when it comes to personal injury compensation and when you can expect to receive it.
Get Medically Diagnosed
A very important step in your personal injury compensation is getting diagnosed correctly. Medical diagnosis will ensure you get the right treatment as well as ensure that you will receive suitable and fair compensation. Doctors will normally run tests in order to understand your condition and determine the most suitable treatment for you, then start on the recovery process. Recovery varies depending on every individual condition, but it can simply be taking specific medications, surgery, physical therapy, or more than just one of these. For example, if you go into surgery, you will certainly need medications. Make sure to have a full doctor’s report on your case and make copies, and keep all your billings and make copies of them as well.
Contact an Attorney
A smart move would be contacting an attorney specializing in personal injury compensations. With a case like this, it’s generally a good idea to talk to a professional attorney who will help you know more about the personal injury claim process and fill you in on the necessary steps to follow. In times of negotiations or settlement talks, it is best if you have an attorney by your side who is experienced so that they can cut you the best deals and ensure that you are rightfully compensated. You will need advice on legal strategies and sometimes need an opinion from a legal point of view as well and your lawyer will do just that. They will be able to discuss your compensation and rights with an insurance adjuster. In this way, you will make sure that they don’t provide a lower compensation than what you should receive.
Call Your Insurance Provider
One step that you should do and that your will lawyer will advise you to do or do it for you is to call your insurance provider and inform them of the injury and your request for compensation. Your insurance provider does not necessarily have to be your insurance company, it can be your place of work if they are responsible for the injury or any other parties responsible for your injury. You must understand your insurance adjuster’s point of view on how you should be compensated, that way, you will know the best strategy to get the best offer. Insurance adjusters usually consider your actual expenses, the emotional impact, the effect the injury had on your way of living or your source of income, and other possible negative harms that have fallen upon you. It is possible that there may be a policy limiting the amount of compensation that you can receive and in that case, your attorney will advise you on what to do next.
Negotiation Time
Negotiations can be overwhelming and tiring, and the responsible party or insurance company will most probably try to save as much money as possible. There are a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to negotiations. There will be a first offer that is probably unfair and much lower than what you deserve, which is why you shouldn’t jump right away to accepting the offer. Take time to think about the proposal, ask yourself if it is fair and consult with your lawyer to know if they think there might be a better offer later on. If you get multiple low offers then ask the adjuster to justify why he thinks that the compensation should be that low. Understand how to use emotional points to your advantage to get their numbers to go hire. You should have an initial amount in mind and you should wait for their response on your offer, don’t call or reach out first so that they don’t think you’re caving.
You should be able to receive your compensation in 14 to 28 days. However, if your claims turn out to be wrong or the insurance provider finds a loophole, they might not give you anything at all. Compensations and settlements can be tricky, and that is why you should be careful with everything you say around your insurance provider. Be 100% honest and straightforward with your claim because any detail that you leave out can be used against you. Engaging an attorney from the beginning will ensure that you are on the safe side when it comes to technicalities and legal errors.
