If you are injured because of someone else’s malice or negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. Whether that is a slip or fall at work, or an injury sustained in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation to help you get back on your feet. If you decide that this is the route to go down, here are the steps that you need to take.

Check if Their Policy Covers the Incident

Once you have decided that you want to start investigating the logistics of filing a personal injury claim, the first thing that you should do is to assess whether the person you are claiming against has an insurance policy that will cover any payout they have to make to you. In some cases, this is really obvious. For example, if you are involved in a car crash that is someone else’s fault, then their car insurance should cover any resulting damages.

However, if you are injured in a trip or a fall at someone else’s property, you will need to work out who owns the property and what kind of insurance they hold. It is important that you do this before anything else, because if the defendant does not hold any insurance, it might not be possible to collect any damages from them even if they are awarded to you. Remember, receiving a judgement in your favor and receiving compensation from whoever you claim against are two different processes.

Decide Whether to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer or Not

The vast majority of personal injury claimants will want to work with a personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney will be able to guide you through the process and help you to establish whether your case even has merit or not. You will find personal injury lawyers available throughout the country, many of whom will have decades of experience in arguing these cases.

Find a personal injury lawyer near you like these Indianapolis personal injury lawyers, that offer a free consultation before you decide whether to hire them or not. Most lawyers should be happy to offer you this service. Having a lawyer on your team will ensure that the entire process proceeds as smoothly and quickly as possible. They are more than worth the asking price.

Assess the Merits of Your Case

A little-known fact about personal injury claims is that the majority of them will never make it into a courtroom. Instead, the majority of defendants prefer to settle the matter out of court and avoid having a huge judgement awarded against them.

A personal injury lawyer will be able to tell you whether you have a case or not, and they will also be able to alert you if something happens during the process that undermines your claim. If there is any doubt as to whether you will ultimately be successful or not, you will need to decide whether it is worth your time and money proceeding.

Decide What You Want to Get Out of It

You should try to work out at the very beginning of the process exactly what it is that you want to get out of it. Some people want financial compensation for the injury, whereas others just want an acknowledgement of wrongdoing and an apology. Once you know what you want to get out of this, you can discuss it with your attorney and they can tell you whether it is realistic or not.

Filing a personal injury claim is much easier than many people realize. It doesn’t have to be a difficult or expensive process, and a personal injury lawyer will be able to tell you what to expect. If you think you have a valid claim, contact an attorney today.

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January 30, 2018 by Incredible Planet Staff

3 Issues You May Run Into with Your Insurance Company & What to Do

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Insurance can seem like it is the perfect system. After all, it is very beneficial to you and can help you out of tight financial bind. If something goes wrong, be it a medical emergency or car accident, you’re covered. At least, that’s what you expect, right?

However, it’s not always going to be as smooth of a process as you might think. In fact, there are all kinds of situations that you should be prepared for. Here are just three such issues that you could possibly run into and what you should do if that happens:

Extra Coverage

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to read the fine writing and just sign away, then know that that could get you in trouble and you should make it a habit to read absolutely everything that you sign your name to. It might sound like a pain, but you need to read your insurance policies as carefully as possible.

It may include language that you don’t understand, which is why you should do some research and ask questions before signing any policy. The language used could possibly relieve the insurance company from paying in certain cases that you need to be aware of. Take a close look and see how your policy could leave you paying for too much. If there are too many negatives, consider ending your relationship with the insurance company and switching to another one before emergency strikes.

Value Discrepancy

There are some things that are seemingly priceless, such as your safety or life. However, insurance will put a value on these things. It might be much lower than the one you want. For instance, if you have insurance for your home and something happens, you’ll use insurance for repairs.

Unfortunately, the payout from your insurance might be much lower than the cost of repairs. Take a look at your insurance policy to ensure that it covers you to the fullest extent. If you think your policy is unfair in light of your expenses, have an insurance appraiser take a look.

Claim Denied

Having your insurance claim denied can make you feel pretty dismal. You might be envisioning a worst-case scenario where you’ll have to pay for everything out of pocket. However, you can certainly work your way through this by taking action. Call your insurance provider and ask them for a detailed reason why your claim was denied. Have all the necessary documents and other relevant information within reach.

If you are having trouble getting them to budge, you might need to take legal action. Call an attorney who’s experienced with insurance and related matters. Explain your case to them and what happened with your first attempt at filing a claim. They’ll hopefully be able to work with you and help you get the compensation you deserve.

When submitting an insurance claim, make sure that you do everything properly. Tell the truth and give all the necessary information. Should you have any trouble, this guide will be of assistance to you.