Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Claims: What a Lawyer Will Do for You

There are incidents whereby your car may be involved in a road accident and you strongly feel that it is caused by the negligence or recklessness of another driver. In such cases, you may want the other driver to pay for any damages to your car or any injuries you sustained in the accident. It is always advisable to look for a good lawyer from a personal injury legal firm to help you get compensation after a motor vehicle accident. Here is what a lawyer can do to ensure your compensation claim is successful.

Determine Legal Liability

Before they can file a compensation claim case on your behalf, the lawyer will help you determine if the defendant was actually at fault. In order to do so, you will need to provide them with details of what happened as well as documentation to support your claims. These may include a police report, medical examination reports, eyewitness account of the incident, photographs taken at the scene of the accident, etc.

Inform the Defendant of Your Claim

Once the lawyer has established that there are valid grounds upon which a claim can be made, they will write and send a letter to the defendant. The letter will provide details of what transpired and the nature of your injuries. Copies of police and medical reports can be attached to validate your claim. The defendant will be given a specified amount of time to respond to the claim, and they must indicate whether or not they accept liability over the claim. If they accept liability, then the matter can be settled out of court.

Determine the Value of Your Claim

You should get every dollar you deserve for your claim. Once the defendant has accepted liability, your lawyer will calculate the value of your claim and ask you how much you are willing to accept to settle the matter. The final amount you settle on after consulting with your lawyer is the amount of compensation that will be communicated to the defendant. This is the stage that determines whether or not the matter will proceed to court.

In some cases, the defendants do not mind accepting liability, but they usually wait to receive the plaintiff's offer before they can decide to settle the matter in or out of court. If the suggested compensation is reasonable enough, then the defendant may agree to settle the claim without going to court. Otherwise, the lawyer will advise to pursue court action against the other party.