Settling a Personal Injury Claim: What You Need to Know

If you got severe injury chances are you have come across the term personal injury claim. It is an element of legal procedures aimed at compensating victims of social wrongs or physical accidents.

The suit involves three parties, the victim, the defendant, and the cross-defendant. The defendant in this case is the individual whose negligence caused damage to a victim. If the defendant asserts the blame to another party, they are known as cross-defendant. This article outlines some of the things you need to know about settling a personal injury claim. They include the following:

1. Notifying the Responsible Party 

It is crucial to inform the person responsible for the injury a few days before filing the claim. This step should happen within a set number of days after the accident. The timing is enough to allow you to think about the application, whether you are willing to negotiate with the party or you want to file the claim. However, it would be perfect if you didn’t take long.

It is advisable to file the claim immediately after the accident occurs. Excellent behavior at this point is necessary. It increases your chances of winning the suit. You can’t threaten the responsible party.

Failure to notify the responsible party may cause them to claim that the proceedings are unfair simply because you waited too long to inform them about the injury. Once you tell them, you can move at your own pace in negotiating with the other parties like insurance companies or other agencies.  

2. The Nature of the Injury

Perhaps no other factor influences the settlement of a personal injury claim like the nature of the accident. The outcome depends on the type of injury you are filing. Examples include medical malpractice, car accidents, animal attacks, and assaults, to mention a few. Adjusters connect the kind of collision with the level of pain caused.

There is no minimum or maximum amount when it comes to personal injury settlements. Every kind of case is different in terms of weaknesses and strengths. The amount of compensation offered to the victim depends on the nature of the accident.

The most challenging part of settling a claim is figuring out the payment that equates the damage caused. It stands out that the more extreme the injuries are, the higher the value of compensation. 

3. Representation Matters

The procedures for settling a personal injury claim can be lengthy and tedious. Therefore, it is crucial to seek a lawyer’s services to avoid bearing the burden by yourself. Sometimes the negotiations with an insurance adjuster may not go as you expected. The adjusters are unlikely to take unrepresented claimants seriously, especially when demanding compensation for severe injuries.

Once a lawyer gets involved, the process of settling the case may get a little less complicated. If you don’t know about a lawyer who can represent you, search online for a reputable law firm site for help. Reading reviews on this site is an excellent way to determine whether you have the right lawyer.

Experienced lawyers understand the challenges victims face. With the right lawyer on your side, you can overcome any obstacle involved in navigating for compensation.

4. Insurance Companies Are Involved

Personal injury cases always involve insurance providers. From automotive accidents, workplace injuries, and medical malpractice, among others, are all settled by insurance companies.

During the settlement of a personal injury claim, there are rules on how insurance companies should behave. Every company should accept or deny the request, in part, or whole upon filing by the victim. In response to the personal lawyer, the company must state whether they need extra time to settle the case on your injuries.

Insurance providers have the aim of protecting the interests of the company. Because of this, their settlement offer may not always be fair. The providers do their best to limit the financial exposure of the particular company. Your lawyer should be aware of any tricks performed by insurance providers to report any violation to court. 

5. Settlement Period

When facing injury caused by the negligence of someone else, you are likely to have many questions. One of them is the period it takes to settle your case. The answer to this question is not definite. It could take weeks, months, or even a year. Different factors determine the time it takes to settle a personal injury claim. Engaging an attorney is one way to speed the process.

If the injuries are severe, you need time to seek meditation, which might delay the settlement. However, if your injuries are minor, the process is relatively a quick one. Other factors like the period of reaching out to insurance providers can also determine the settlement period.

Following legal rules and regulations of personal injury claim settlement, a victim may have a limited amount of time to file a claim. A personal injury claim can be barred forever if the limitation expires.

For this reason, you need to bring forth your request immediately after the injury occurs. You need to understand that you can file a personal injury claim, whether you are partially at fault or not. It would be best if you don’t hesitate to file a claim simply because you feel you contributed to the accident.