How to Maximize your Car Accident Settlement
Insurance companies want to minimize your Car Accident claim. Tennessee personal injury settlements are a function of evidence, medical bills, injury impact on your life, jury variability, time and the cost of defending the claim. Car wreck injury settlements guarantee the insurance company can close their books on your case. Car Accident Lawyer George Angelopoulos discusses what can you do to maximize your car accident claim.
1. A picture is worth a thousand words
Take damage photos of all vehicles involved, physical injury photos, skid marks, weather conditions and traffic signals (especially if malfunctioning or absent). Pictures and video are utilized to document damages and causation. Proving your legal damages before and how the collision occurred is essential to obtaining fair car accident settlement. Doubt is not your friend.
2. Obtain witness information
Witnesses will either help or hurt your car accident claim. Pre-trial witness testimony can substantially increase injury settlements. Memories fade and stories change. Locking in testimony supporting liability or severity is a strong bargaining chip in auto accident settlement negotiation.
3. Obtain the accident report
Police officers document their observations at the accident scene. Crash reports provide observations that may be crucial in the outcome of your claim. Citations, perspective on causation and other pieces of evidence may be critical. Tennessee electronic crash reports are not admissible evidence at trial, but their existence can assist in settlement avoiding the need for a lawsuit in the first place.
4. Keep copies of medical records
The information in these records tells the story of your pain, suffering and limitations on daily life. The records may play a big role in determining the amount of compensation you can recover before or at trial.
5. Get professional property damage estimates
This information can impact on how much money you can expect to recover in your case. It’s important to receive estimates from a credible source, such as an established auto repair shop. In Tennessee you are not required to visit an insurance preferred repair shop. An experienced auto accident attorney will known several locations who are known for great work.
