ArticlesAfter a car accident, many feel traumatized. While some escape a scene of a collision unscathed, many others may not be so lucky.
Suffering physical injuries may create financial burdens based on an inability to work. Understandably, you may feel overwhelmed by it all.
A qualified personal injury attorney understands how to get the most money from a car accident so you can get back on the road to recovery.
Steps on How to Get the Most Money from a Car Accident
When determining how to get money from a car accident, multiple recommended steps should be taken that support your claim for recovery.
Collect and Retain Evidence
In the minutes immediately following a collision, if physically able, attempt to collect evidence at the scene of the collision. Evidence supporting a car accident compensation claim include:
- Photographs taken at the scene,
- Names and contact information of involved parties,
- Insurance information of involved parties,
- Names and contact information of witnesses,
- The police accident report,
- Photographs of your injuries, and
- Your written recollection of the events.
However, do not prioritize anything over your physical health. If you suffered injuries resulting from a car accident, it’s vital to seek medical attention immediately.
Medical Treatment
If your car accident leads to medical treatment, retain all records of medical bills, examinations, and diagnoses by your doctor.
Additionally, obtain a complete diagnosis of your injuries. For example, you may believe you suffered no or only minor injuries following an accident.
However, as more time passes, it may become apparent that the car accident caused permanent pain and discomfort. A personal injury attorney assists clients in obtaining an award suitable to their losses.
Negotiate
Never accept the first offer from an insurance company. Initially, insurance companies typically offer low settlement offers.
But your attorney can negotiate on your behalf. Prior to negotiation, speak with your personal injury attorney about your claim.
It’s important to understand the value of your claim, so you don’t settle for compensation that fails to assist in your recovery.
Act Quickly
Memories fade over time. It’s vital to pursue an injury claim promptly following a car accident. Witnesses’ recollections of events may become less accurate.
Additionally, valuable evidence may be lost. Most importantly, California law provides a statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
Therefore, if you wait too long, your injury claim may be barred by the statute of limitations.
What Are Damages in a Car Accident Claim?
After you endure the trauma of a collision, a personal injury attorney can help you determine how to get money from a car accident.
California law permits injured parties to recover compensation for the damages sustained in a car accident. Two types of damages are recoverable in California car accidents.
Economic Damages
Economic damages represent quantifiable, calculable losses. Therefore it’s important to maintain a record of all economic damages, which include the following:
- Past and future medical expenses,
- Past and future lost wages, and
- Property damages.
Medical bills, receipts for property damage, and past pay stubs provide proof of economic damages. An experienced personal injury attorney assists clients in gathering and retaining records to support how they plan to get paid after a car accident.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more difficult to quantify because they represent intangible losses. Receipts and other records do not reveal the emotional impact of non-economic damages.
Non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering,
- Disfigurement,
- Physical impairment,
- Permanent injury,
- Loss of consortium, and
- Emotional distress.
California law does not provide a fixed standard for the calculation of non-economic damages. As a result, injury awards for non-economic damages vary from person to person.
Often, based on the presentation of evidence by a victim in a car accident, non-economic damage awards may far surpass economic damage awards.
Who Can I Look to for Car Accident Compensation?
You will typically start by pursuing a car accident compensation claim against the at-fault party and their insurance company.
If there are multiple at-fault parties, you can seek compensation from all of them.
If the insurance policy limits of the at-fault parties do not fully compensate you for your losses, you may also pursue a claim under your underinsured motorist policy with your own insurance company.
Personal injury claims represent a complex area of law requiring the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Your attorney can help you identify all potential sources of recovery.
Is There a Statute of Limitations on a Car Accident Compensation Claim?
California law requires a victim to file a car accident compensation claim within two years after the accident. If a minor suffers injuries in a car accident, the statute of limitations does not begin running until they turn 18.
Upon turning 18, they have two years to bring their car accident compensation claim.
Contact Us
At Farzam Law Firm, we treat clients as individuals. We understand that no client brings the same case to our office. We inform clients of every step of the personal injury lawsuit process and work to prioritize the needs of our clients.
No one should attempt to pursue a car accident claim on their own. Let the attorneys at Farzam Law Firm put you on the road to healing.
Contact our office today for a free consultation and case evaluation!
Joseph Farzam
Mr. Farzam attended Santa Monica high school and worked at McDonald’s and local coffee shops to support himself. Although he worked 2 or 3 jobs, he valued education greatly and earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge in biology, and attended the prestigious Pepperdine University School of Law. He graduated with high marks and passed the California bar exam on the first try. Mr. Farzam has received the coveted titles of Super Lawyer, Los Angeles Magazine’s Top Lawyers, and has received The Litigator Awards. He is a proud member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) and California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA).
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