Getting injured in a car accident that isn't your fault is never a fun experience, and the pain and expenses that result can be frustrating if you aren't fairly compensated. Filing a personal injury lawsuit is an effective way to make sure that you are not left footing the bills that pile up due to the accident alone. As part of the lawsuit process, you'll be expected to negotiate with an insurance adjuster that represents the party who was at fault for the accident.
The adjuster's job is to minimize any financial commitments that the other party ends up having to take responsibility for, so it is a good idea to work with a lawyer who specializes in personal injury cases to help ensure that you get fairly compensated. There are a few things you can do to assist your lawyer with maximizing your potential payout – consider one or more of the following tactics:
Take Photos for Proof
To document the accident and help prove your personal point of view, it's a good idea to go back and take photos of the actual scene where the accident happened. Focus on the ground where marks, glass or other vehicles pieces may have been left behind and on landmarks like street signs that prove exactly where the accident happened. You should also take close-up photos of any damage, even small scratches, to your vehicle. Don't take photos of your vehicle in the sun, but instead use overhead lighting in a garage if possible to minimize glare. Have the photos copied so you can give one set to your lawyer and keep a set for yourself somewhere safe at home.
Talk to Witnesses
While you are at the accident scene taking photos, spend a little time locating possible witnesses to see if you can get statements from them. Knock on the doors of any homes in the immediate vicinity, and ask anyone who saw the accident to write a simple statement about what they saw. Alternatively, you can have your lawyer create a simple statement form for witnesses to fill out to ensure that no important information, such as contact information, is overlooked.
Ask for Written Insight
Ask your close friends and family members to give their personal accounts and insights into the issues you have been going through since your accident by writing them down in a letter for your lawyer. The pain, physical injuries, loss of work, and transportation troubles that your loved ones have personally helped you through should be documented by each of them so your lawyer can create a thorough report and financial statement to support your personal injury claims.
Document Your Ongoing Progress
In addition to collecting written letters from your loved ones, it is important to keep a recovery diary and update it on a daily basis with information about the amount of pain you are in, the types of medications you are taking, and any therapy or doctor's visits you attend. Make a note of each day you are unable to work and make money due to your injuries and days when you have to rent a vehicle or take public transportation to get around because of the damage done to your own vehicle during the accident.
This process should only take five minutes out of your time every morning or night, and will help your lawyer determine how much overall compensation to ask for when negotiating with the other party's insurance adjuster.
You should find that these straight-forward techniques help to keep you involved in your personal injury case so that you can maintain a sense of control along with your lawyer over the outcome. For more information about getting through a personal injury case, contact a company like Wolter, Beeman & Lynch.
