After your car accident that was due to no fault of your own, you may be eligible to receive financial compensation via a car accident claim. However, if you do not take the proper steps immediately after your accident, you may jeopardize your claim. Continue reading to learn what mistakes you should avoid when filing a car accident claim and how an experienced Tampa car accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A., can help you through this process.
What are common mistakes that I should avoid when filing my car accident claim?
When filing your car accident claim with your insurance company, you will need to provide a sufficient amount of proof so that you can maximize the compensation you receive.
First of all, you should not prematurely leave the scene of the accident. It is important that you remain on the scene long enough for you to retrieve the following pieces of evidence:
- The accident report that was conducted by a law enforcement officer.
- Photos and videos of your personal injuries, car damages, and the overall scene.
- The contact information of involved parties and present witnesses.
In addition, it is a mistake to not seek medical attention. It is important that you attend the ambulance at the scene, along with going to the hospital afterward and scheduling follow-up appointments with your physician as necessary, even if you do not believe that you are seriously injured. This is because, oftentimes, head, neck, and back injuries are not immediately visible. With this, you will want to collect as many medical records as possible.
And lastly, you should not make a statement to your insurance company with legal representation from a skilled Hillsborough County personal injury lawyer. This is because, at the end of the day, your insurance company is a business that is looking to meet its bottom line. And so, they will use any error in your statement against you so that they can minimize your financial compensation.
How long do I have to file my claim?
And if you are also looking to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party, it would be a mistake to not file within the state of Florida’s statute of limitations. That is, Florida has a deadline for filing such a lawsuit, and it is typically four years from the date of your accident. If you do not meet this, then you may be permanently barred from suing and therefore restricted from receiving the financial compensation that you require to heal.
You should not have to go through this claims process alone. So, without any further hesitation, you must reach out to our firm today.
