A second accident with same insurance company is surmountable if you have the right guidance from your insurance compensation attorney. You need to do several things immediately and soon after an accident. The goal is to ensure you have enough documentation and records to support a successful compensation claim. Below are ten tips on what to do after an accident with the same insurance company.
1. Call an Accident Lawyer
After your second accident with same insurance company, you’ll likely contact an insurance provider to file a claim. However, you must put up a good fight with the insurance company if you want to get fair compensation. Insurance companies have a vested interest in seeing that vehicle accident victims receive the least amount possible, if anything at all.
They use insurance adjusters whose main job is to frustrate accident victims to achieve this. These professionals have many tricks and will do everything possible to make you settle for a lowball offer. However, when you enlist the services of a reliable auto accident lawyer, you can turn things around in your favor.
These legal professionals typically have years of experience in the field and often have a track record of winning when dealing with insurance companies. They’re already familiar with insurers’ tactics to deny or give victims lower compensation amounts than they deserve. With an accident attorney in your corner, your insurance provider will be forced to award a substantial payout as long as the facts check out.
It’s important to note that not every accident is eligible for compensation. It all depends on the specifics. You don’t want to waste valuable resources pursuing a case that will ultimately be fruitless.
However, you don’t have the experience to determine this. A professional car accident lawyer will evaluate your case and advise whether you should file a claim. They’ll also tell you what you need to know about the statute of limitations. These provisions serve as guidelines for who may file claims and when they can be filed.
2. Find the Right Attorney
You need to find the right attorney for your case if you want your claim to be successful after getting into an accident with same insurance company. So, if your accident also involves drunk driving, you’ll need to enlist the help of a DUI lawyer. Filing a DUI accident claim is often difficult and time-consuming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the law. It’s perfectly natural and anticipated that you may have questions as you proceed, such as how much financial compensation you can anticipate, how long the entire process ought to last if it’s a good idea to accept an offer, and what your prospects are at trial if you can’t agree.
One of the great benefits of enlisting the legal help of a DUI lawyer is they take the weight and hassle off you besides managing the claims process. You’re already dealing with enough stress from being unable to work and nursing injuries; you don’t need the extra burden of pursuing compensation on your own. Hiring a DUI accident attorney puts a knowledgeable advocate in your corner who’ll always be available to address your concerns, keep you informed, and protect your legal rights.
3. Check on Your Pet
Your pet is just as likely to be hurt in a car accident as you are, whether driving a long distance or just a short distance to the beach. Regardless of how well you secure your furry friend inside the car, a serious collision might still endanger the dog. If you find yourself in such a situation, listen for any weeping, growling, whimpering, or other signs of distress in your pet to determine whether they’re okay. Try your best to maintain your composure because pets like dogs can sense your emotional state and will get more stressed if you act erratically.
Even if your dog seems well-behaved, it may still nip or bite if it’s terrified and hurt. For this reason, minimize eye contact and talk in a soothing, supportive tone when checking for injuries. To ensure your dog doesn’t run away and sustain further injuries, secure it using a blanket and a leash.
Take your dog to the vet clinic even if it doesn’t appear to be wounded, so the vet can check for any potential issues or other concerns the accident could have brought. By doing this, your dog can receive the necessary care and promptly begin its recovery. If your pet is injured in an accident, you can file a claim for damages. Pets are frequently considered property by insurance providers; thus, submitting a claim offers you the chance to get fair compensation for vet bills and other expenses that arise from another person’s negligence.
4. Take a Mental Health Break
Most people experience emotional distress after an accident. It’s normal to develop signs of elevated stress during recovery, including problems sleeping, fearfulness, anguish, depression, anxiety, recurring nightmares of the accident, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Such intense feelings often lead to a habit of avoidance. Some people may choose not to drive again by skipping work, appointments, social gatherings, and other obligations out of concern for having another accident. When symptoms begin to interfere with daily activities, it may be time to take action.
Taking a mental wellness break is a great place to start, and one of the best ways to approach this is by getting plenty of sleep. Sleep is important for your mental and physical health, just like eating, drinking plenty of fluids, and breathing. It provides your body and mind the necessary time to recuperate, which is crucial if you’ve been injured in an accident. You may experience heightened stress, worry, and sadness if you don’t get enough sleep.
5. Stay Wary of Pains
Keeping a record of your pains after a second accident with same insurance company is crucial. The best way to do this is to record setbacks or relapses and other health challenges you’re facing in a journal. Also, document your progress and, more importantly, your pain levels. The journal will save the day as critical evidence to support your compensation claim.
For instance, if you were involved in a car accident, expect any pain you experience to last up to eight weeks. Although soft tissue injuries may take about three weeks to heal, others may take months. To estimate the duration your pain persists after an injury-causing accident, visit a pain center for a diagnosis or seek further clarity from your primary care provider (PCP).
Some of the issues you shouldn’t ignore are feeling dizzy, numbness or tingling, stomach pain, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and headaches. Some of the issues may not be as apparent, such as behavioral changes you didn’t have before the accident. For instance, drastic changes in eating and sleeping habits could be due to brain injury, flashbacks, depression, and anxiety, all subtle signs of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). While these are not physical signs of pain, get treatment as soon as possible and record them in the journal. Being wary of pain and journaling its incidences helps you get medical intervention early. It also strengthens your insurance claim.
6. Check the Vehicle Insides
Besides repainting, fixing, replacing, and taking care of structural issues with your car, once you get a second accident with same insurance company, get the car’s internals thoroughly checked by a professional, certified, and licensed mechanic. You could take it to a truck repair shop for complete diagnosis and repair. The reason for the inside-out inspection is to expose and address issues that are hidden from your sight.
You may not know your car has mechanical problems until it is too late. The last thing you want is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with an immobile vehicle just because the mechanic only checked the visible damage to your car.
The braking system is A critical component of your car to give a thorough check. While it may look like it wasn’t affected, it could have internal damage that isn’t visible to the naked eye. Do a complete break repair or replace them if necessary. Besides the brake pads, get your mechanic to inspect the brake lines, calipers, and rotors.
If you find some damaged components, replace them if they are beyond repair to ensure seamless braking performance.
Get the mechanic to bleed the brake lines to eliminate air bubbles that could have entered the system when the accident happened. Your brakes will function smoothly.
7. Arrange for Transportation
Check with your insurance company to see if a cab service is available. You might be pleasantly surprised that the insurance policy covers cab service if your vehicle is undrivable or totaled. However, only some insurance companies are forthright with this information. Some will stay mum in the hope that you won’t ask for transportation options available to you, so they can save on car rental costs.
Immediately after an accident with same insurance company, ask your insurance adjuster what cab rental services are available. Consult with your lawyer should you suspect the insurer is being cagey about your options for rental car coverage. This is the best way to ensure your rights and privileges are not infringed upon.
If another driver’s negligence is responsible for the crash, you might get the at-fault driver’s insurer to reimburse you for transportation costs incurred at the crash that made your car undrivable. In any case, if it’s proven another party was responsible for the crash and the resultant injuries, all expenses you incurred, including transportation costs, must be included in your compensation. Your other transportation options after a crash include taxi or rideshare services, public bike-share programs, biking or walking, carpooling, rides from friendly neighbors, family, and friends, and public transportation.
8. Take It to Court
If you’re having difficulties pressing for compensation after an accident with same insurance company, it’s time to go to court. Your defense attorney will guide you through this process. If an uninsured driver caused your injuries and car damages, file a claim under your insurance policy. To sue an insurance company for bodily injuries, include the at-fault driver. However, you’ll need to prove that the other driver was responsible for the accident that resulted in your injuries and damage to your car. This won’t be a walk in the park as you must prove beyond reasonable that another party besides you caused the accident. You will also need to verify your damages.
9. Fix Your Car’s Cosmetics
Minor cosmetic damages generally do not devalue a vehicle. However, when not attended to, the day-to-day running of the car could lead to further damages, which could render an insurance claim invalid, especially if there was a previous insurance claim on similar repairs.
Automotive detailers want to address damages that negatively impact safety or the car’s mechanical well-being. It’s in their best interest to avoid cars with illegitimate secondary claims in the event of another accident, especially in a second accident with the same insurance company.
10. Maintain Your Health
If you recently had a second accident with same insurance company, keep a detailed record of therapies, hospitalizations, and other medical treatments. Also, detail all the expenses you’ve incurred that can be attributed to the accident. This is essential information when filing an insurance claim.
Keep in touch with the insurance company and let them know about your progress, changes to your health status, and the treatment plans you’re under. Respond promptly to their requests for information to avoid disputes and delays. Provide them with all the necessary records.
Talking to a professional personal injury lawyer specializing in insurance claims is wise. They’ll give you invaluable advice, champion your rights, and act as negotiators between you and the insurance company. Their job is to argue your case for fair compensation.
It’s also very crucial to follow through with your treatment plan. If rehabilitation and physical therapy sessions are needed, don’t skip any, and ensure you take the recommended treatments and exercises. Besides aiding your recovery, such dedication also shows that you’re keen to get better, a fact that will make your compensation claim more credible.
Getting compensation after a second accident with the same insurance company isn’t a walk in the park. You’ll need to be purposeful about everything, from collecting all the relevant evidence to using a defense attorney to argue your case, especially if it proceeds to full trial.