How Can I Maximize the Value of My Car Accident Claim?
Getting hurt in a car accident can seriously threaten your financial security. This is especially true if you’re unable to work while recovering from your injuries.
Fortunately, if you weren’t wholly to blame for the crash, you should be able to seek compensation from the other at-fault parties. Read on to learn how you can pursue the maximum payout possible in such a scenario:
1. Gather Convincing Evidence
The opposing party won’t be inclined to offer a fair settlement if you cannot prove liability or damages. Therefore, it’s imperative to compile the strongest evidence that you can.
The most valuable proof will come down to the specifics of your claim, but it will probably include at least a few of the following pieces of evidence:
- Photographs from the scene,
- Statements from accident reconstruction experts,
- Toxicology reports,
- Cell phone records,
- Eyewitness testimony,
- Black box data,
- Vehicle maintenance logs, and
- The official police report.
2. Preserve Documentation of Damages
You can only recover funds for losses you can prove you actually incurred. As such, you should save all the bills, receipts, and invoices that correspond to any accident-related expenses. These expenses might include costs associated with vehicle repairs, alternative transportation, doctor’s office copays, and replacement services like housekeeping.
3. Keep a Daily Journal
When it comes to motor-vehicle collisions, the resulting non-economic damages can be every bit as devastating as their economic counterparts. Examples include pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Thankfully, all such damages are recoverable in the state of Florida. Since they’re not accompanied by any documentation, however, claimants must demonstrate their extent in other ways.
Personal injury attorneys advise clients to start writing daily entries in a journal right away. As long as you recount the ways in which your condition is hurting your quality of life, you can use these entries to bolster your damages claim.
4. Avoid Accepting Blame
The insurance adjuster may try to get you to accept some degree of responsibility, even if they don’t have any evidence to support the accusation. Under Florida’s pure comparative fault rule, the more liability they can shift onto you, the less they’ll have to pay out on behalf of the policyholder.
Generally speaking, you should avoid discussing blame at all with the opposing party. If you think you might have played a role in the wreck, bring it up with your legal team, not the opposing party. Your lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation and then determine the best way to proceed based on their findings.
Speak with a Florida Car Accident Attorney
If you’re ready to take action following a motor-vehicle collision, turn to Emerson Straw. Our compassionate team is well-versed in tort law, and we know how to overcome unique hurdles that third-party claimants often face. Call (727) 821-1500 or fill out our Online Contact Form to set up a free case review with a car accident lawyer in Florida.