Filing a no-fault accident claim can be discouraging, especially if you’ve experienced a hardship at no fault of your own. It can be hard to think with clarity during this frustrating time, but you want to keep on your toes while you’re filing your claim. Insurance companies are not our friends and they will often try to work to give us the smallest amount they can. 

Here are some ways that can help you get the most out of your no-fault accident claim:

Keep All Your Documentation 

From the moment you’re engaged in an accident, you’re going to want to start keeping all documentation necessary. If you have your phone handy make sure you’re taking as many pictures as possible. If there are any witnesses in your car or around the area, try and get their contact info, it will be difficult to contact them later on. Gather all of your police reports, and medical information and keep them in a spot that’s easy to preserve. You’ll also want to make sure that all of this information is backed up, preferably on a cloud or a server you can access easily. 

Seek A Physicians Assessment 

You should be attempting to get a medical assessment conducted as soon as you can after the accident. This gives you credibility as to the nature of your damages, and no one will be able to argue that you received them later on. The onus or the responsibility will be placed on you to prove that you experienced damages at no fault of your own. This is a critical step, and if missed, it can lead to you receiving much less for a settlement or nothing at all. 

Get A Lawyer

Filing for a no-fault accident claim entirely by yourself is possible, but not recommended. A lawyer can make insurance companies take you more seriously, and this means that they’re likely to work with you. They’ll also be able to offer you legal advice on if a settlement is adequate or not. If you’re in Alabama, you might look for a Phenix City law firm that offers a free consultation. You might be able to find out if you have a strong enough case to follow through with your claim using an auto-insurance attorney. 

File Immediately 

Don’t wait to file your claim, you should file it as soon as possible. Any insurance company is going to attack why you waited for an extended period of time to receive a claim. They may even say it must not have been that serious if you filed weeks afterward. Staying on top of your claim and getting it in the works as soon as possible will reflect on the severity of the damages that you’ve experienced. If you’re unsure of how to file a claim, get the assistance of an attorney to assist you. 

Don’t Settle 

Don’t take up the first settlement off that you receive just because you’re happy to have gotten a settlement. A lawyer can better educate you on whether a settlement is worth accepting or not. However, the first settlement that’s offered is generally not the best deal that you’re going to get overall. Make sure you give reasons why you feel it’s inadequate instead of simply saying no, this gives you leverage when you make a counteroffer. 

Be Careful What You Post 

Social media can be used against us in our place of employment, but it can also be used against you during a no-fault accident claim. Even if you’re posting pictures from a year ago from your vacation to the Dominican, this might be used against you. It’s best to stray away from posting anything on social media that makes your accident look less serious than it is. The privacy settings on your Facebook page might be a good idea, but don’t count on it to protect information from prying eyes. 

Think About Future Costs 

Don’t think solely about your current medical expenses and damages to your vehicle. You need to be thinking about long-term damages that you may have incurred as a result of your accident. For instance, a loss of work can potentially leave you without an income and you may require a monetary amount to circumvent your expenses. The largest portion of the claim that you may receive may be due to future costs that you’re going to experience, so don’t leave this out when you’re building your case. 

Following these critical steps can help you get the most out of what you deserve. You need to prepare yourself as best as possible for any scenario, and the more evidence you have to back up your claim the better. It’s highly recommended that you get legal advice while you’re dealing with a claim, a lawyer’s experience can be invaluable. Keep these steps in mind, and hopefully, you’re able to negotiate a justified settlement.