Injuries can happen under all sorts of unfortunate circumstances – from car crashes to slipping and falling on spilled detergent. No matter the cause, they can lead to extended absences from work, expensive medical bills, as well as long-term physical and emotional trauma. When these injuries are caused by the negligence of another person, you have the right to make a claim for the costs through the personal injury system.
Read on to learn more about:
- How and when to begin a personal injury claim after you’ve been injured.
- The tactics insurance companies will use to limit your personal injury claim and why you should almost never accept their first offer.
- What happens when you cannot get a reasonable settlement, and why you should never wait that long to hire a personal injury lawyer.
Commonly Asked Personal Injury Claim Questions
If you have been injured in an accident, it’s normal to find yourself asking questions like…
- What do I do after an injury or accident?
- Who do I go file my claim against?
- How long do I have to file my personal injury claim?
- How much money can I get?
- What information should I ask for from the person responsible?
Of course, the answers to these questions will often depend on the facts of your case. Below, you will find answers to many of them – as well as essential information anyone who has been injured in California needs to know.
How Do I Begin The Personal Injury Claim Process After An Accident With Serious Injuries In Los Angeles?
If you have been involved in an incident where you suffered physical or mental harm, there are certain things you need to do:
- Seek medical attention.
- Call the police or file a police report.
- Take as many pictures as you can of the accident site and surrounding environment.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
In addition to taking these proactive steps, getting an attorney involved means that you have someone on your side to take down your information and make sure you get proper medical care. Your personal injury lawyer will also help gather evidence of all of your damages, such as medical bills, lost income, and any other losses related to this car accident.
This way, you can be confident that you will receive the total amount of compensation that you are truly entitled to.
What Are The Most Common Tactics Insurance Companies Use To Deny Or Limit Personal Injury Claims?
Right after an accident, you are likely to receive a call from an insurance company. They will be very friendly, claim to empathize with your situation, and offer what they say is a generous settlement, but only if you accept it right away.
Unfortunately, this is a dishonest and dishonorable tactic that insurance companies use – because it works. The truth is that the initial settlement offer is often only a fraction of what you deserve and what you will need.
Worse still, even if you refuse the initial settlement, adjusters will take note of everything you say during any interaction with them, (sometimes even without letting you know that your call is being recorded), and they will use anything you give them against you later.
When you ask questions, they will refuse to answer, be vague, or outright lie. Instead, they will take the opportunity to get you to quickly sign a document electronically that you do not understand or even have the time to read.
Attorney Kevin Levian is a compassionate and dedicated lawyer based in California who has helped countless clients just like you navigate their personal injury claims against big insurance companies.
Having been hospitalized for almost two months after a tragic car accident of his own, he knows exactly what you are going through, and will do everything possible to see you get fair compensation. He is always available to answer questions and ready to help.
Ready to get started? Contact Levian Law today to schedule a 100% free initial consultation.
Alternatively, even though it is a very clear accident where their client’s vehicle hit yours, they will say, “Oh, the damage to that vehicle was not that bad. It cannot have caused your injuries. We are denying your claim.” Blaming pre-existing injuries or later accidents for the harms you are filing against them for.
In short, insurance companies will try anything and everything to avoid paying you the full amount of your claim’s value – which is why you should always talk to a personal injury lawyer before accepting anything they offer.
If The Insurance Company Offers A Settlement Right Away, Should I Take The Offer?
Insurance companies often rush to offer settlements before you have even started medical treatment or gotten a consultation, much less completed your treatment. Unfortunately, accepting such an offer from an insurance company without legal advice is almost certainly a bad idea.
After all, when your body has been in an accident, it will often go into shock. You might feel no pain or only mild discomfort until 24 hours or more after the accident. This creates a situation where, if an insurance company calls the same day of the accident and gets you to sign a settlement offer, it will be too late by the time you wake up in the morning, realize your pain is considerable, and discover that you need more help.
In this scenario, you have signed away your right to a full claim for your losses. In this scenario, the thousands of dollars, or tens of thousands, you should rightfully receive are signed away for a mere $200 – simply because you did not take the time to consult a personal injury lawyer first.
What Happens If I Cannot Get A Reasonable Settlement Offer From The Insurance Company?
Assuming you refuse their original ridiculous offer, or they try to deny your claim outright, insurance companies can quickly become incredibly tight-fisted. If you do not get a reasonable settlement offer from the insurance company, you will have to go through litigation to get it.
When settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, the case continues to progress through various court hearings and procedures until, finally, it reaches the trial stage. During this trial, the disputes will be resolved through formal argument and decided by a judge or jury.
If you win your case, the court will award you damages based on the evidence your personal injury lawyer presented. This will be your recovered compensation amount. However, while it might seem like a simple process, trial litigation is not desirable – primarily because it is costly both in time and money.
Because of this, we avoid litigation and try to put as much pressure on the insurance company and their lawyers as possible so that they realize you are working with a serious law firm and have a potent case against them. That way, when it comes time for negotiation or mediation, they will offer the correct amount of compensation.
The unfortunate truth is that a truly just outcome is nearly impossible if you don’t have a lawyer on your side. Insurance companies will rarely take you seriously without an attorney because they know you will have a hard time getting anything from them on your own, regardless of whether or not you try to bring the case to court.
When Should I Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?
Individual circumstances will usually dictate the right time to hire a personal injury lawyer. Generally speaking, though, it is better to consult with an attorney sooner rather than later. This will give them the time necessary to use every legal advantage in your favor.
If you are unsure about whether you should hire a personal injury lawyer after your accident, consider the following: If a part of your body is hurting or not functioning the way it should, you need advice from a doctor to understand what is happening, what you can do about it, and the pros and cons of your options.
The same is true when dealing with a personal injury claim – especially since you can call our office for a free consultation to get the answers you need regardless of whether or not you decide to hire us. You can ask any question and get an honest answer with the pros and cons. Since every case is separate and different, no piece of online advice will ever replace sitting down with a lawyer and getting the specific advice you need.
For more information on Filing A Personal Injury Claim In California, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (888) 694-8869 today.
Attorney Kevin Levian is a compassionate and dedicated lawyer based in California who has helped countless clients just like you navigate their personal injury claims against big insurance companies.
Having been hospitalized for almost two months after a tragic car accident of his own, he knows exactly what you are going through, and will do everything possible to see you get fair compensation. He is always available to answer questions and ready to help.
Ready to get started? Contact Levian Law today to schedule a 100% free initial consultation.
