How to increase your chances of getting fair compensation after a traffic accident

Suffering a traffic accident can be a very traumatic experience for all parties involved. It’s never easy to process the physical and emotional damage produced by such an event. A car crash can affect life in many ways, from leaving someone unable to perform their daily activities like they once did to causing major financial hardship.

That’s why for a lot of people who have been injured in traffic accidents the road to recovery can be long and bumpy. While it’s not possible to go back in time to change the course of the events and avoid all the unpleasant consequences of a car crash, there are things that can be done to make the recovery process go smoother and minimise the distress and damages suffered.

Receiving fair compensation for your losses is one thing that can help you put your life back together and recover as soon as possible. But trying to obtain fair compensation can be a complicated process in itself. So here are a few ways to increase your chances of getting the compensation you deserve after a car accident.

Report the accident to the police

The first thing anyone should do after getting in a car crash is to contact the police and report the accident. It doesn’t matter if the accident doesn’t seem too serious. You still have to contact the competent authorities and let them know what happened.

When making a compensation claim, a written record of the event will be required to support your case. That’s why it’s absolutely necessary to have the police come to the site of the accident and document it. The evidence they collect is instrumental to the success of your claim.

Get immediate medical attention

If you’ve been injured in the accident, it’s extremely important to get immediate medical attention. After making sure you and everyone else are safe, your top priority should be seeking medical treatment, regardless of the severity of your wounds. Superficial injuries can prove to be a lot more serious than they first appear, so don’t make little out of it.

If you don’t let a medical professional attend to you right away, it can be a lot more difficult to prove that the physical and psychological damages you’ve suffered were caused by the accident and not something else. The insurance company can use that against you to reduce your settlement offer. Go to the emergency room as soon as possible or call the emergency services if you’re not able to travel and keep all the medical records safe, as you’ll need them when making your claim.

Gather evidence

In the event of a traffic accident, the police will take care of gathering all the necessary evidence and information to determine fault. They’re in charge of making an official report of what happened at the scene of the accident and include all the relevant details in it.

However, you can and should double police efforts by gathering evidence yourself. If your physical and emotional state allows you, try to collect as much evidence as possible. That implies making videos or taking photos of the accident scene, including photos of your injuries and the damaged cars that were involved in the crash. You should also talk to eye witnesses and ask them for their contact information in case you’ll need their testimony when making your claim.

Seek professional legal advice and guidance

Making a compensation claim after being injured in a car accident might seem something that you can handle on your own, and indeed there’s no one stopping you from taking matters into your own hands. Yet once you start the procedures, you might get tangled up in all the intricacies of the legal system and commit mistakes that can affect the outcome of your claim.

That’s why it’s a lot better to seek professional legal advice and guidance from an agency such as UK Law that can make the whole claim process go a lot smoother and increase your chances of getting the compensation you need and deserve.

Don’t share information with anyone other than the relevant authorities

The pain and distress caused by a car accident can make you feel the need to share what happened with those around you. While getting moral and emotional support from family and friends is a great thing, you should be careful not to overshare details of the accident. You can talk to those who are close to you and are part of your support group, but avoid making information public on social media.

Talking to an insurance adjuster about the event is also a big mistake that can affect your compensation claim. Your lawyer and the police are the only competent bodies that you should share information with, so until your case has settled, make sure to keep things private.

Document the damages you’ve suffered

In the hustle and bustle that comes after a car accident, it can be easy to lose track of all the damages and loss you’ve suffered. It’s best to document these things as you go, so you can prove your loss and receive the maximum amount for your claim.

Keep all medical records, receipts and bills related to the accident in one place. That way, you’ll have them on hand for when you need them and you won’t have to play the detective to gather the necessary evidence or miss important details.

Follow your doctor’s treatment plan

Receiving medical attention right after the accident is extremely important for ensuring proper recovery and presenting proof of your injuries in the claim process. But following your doctor’s treatment plan is just as important.

Failing to do so can be detrimental to your case as the insurance company could argue that your injuries were not as severe and reduce the amount of compensation you’ll receive. If you’re not happy with your current treatment plan, you can talk to your lawyer about changing your medical provider.

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