Looking at the surface, the process of a personal injury claim seems rather simple. It is about accident victims getting the compensation that they deserve for someone else’s negligence resulting in injuries. Getting a fair settlement, however, can be a difficult process. What is the entire process of a personal injury claim? Here is the whole process that you need to know about.

The personal injury claim process

This is a step-by-step guide for getting a personal injury claim.

1. Seeking medical treatment

If you get any sort of injury, the first thing that you need to do is to seek medical treatment. Regardless of who did it, if you need medical attention, this should be the first step.

2. Finding evidence for your claim

To receive the compensation that you believe you must get, you must find evidence for your claim. According to Indiana Personal Injury Law Firm, you need to convince the authorities that it was the defendant who acted unreasonably, and their carelessness injured you. After the accident, try to get as much evidence as possible. Take pictures of the car, pictures of crashes, and pictures of your damaged vehicle, etc. Also, make sure to keep your medical record bills and copies.

3. Appoint a representative

To ensure that the legal representation is correct, the majority of people will go with a personal injury claim to deal with the case. Many companies offer personal injury claims who can provide you what you need. If there is a significant injury, you need to hire an Orange County personal injury lawyer who can handle the process for you.

4. Pre-action protocols

Once your representative is appointed the next stage is pre-action protocols. This is a set procedure. The third-party appointed sends a letter of claim which gives all details of the injuries suffered (physical and mental) and what happened, as much as they know about it.

5. Estimating the claim value

There can not be a fair negotiation over the injury settlement until the value of the injuries is known. In the case of most damages, the client receives money for almost all the losses caused by the defendant’s carelessness. These include property damage, rehabilitation, and medical bills, and lost wages or income. Victims who suffer accidents can get compensation for non-economic losses such as emotional distress and pain.

6. Effective negotiation

You have normally presented some offered by the insurance company for your losses which are normally lower than the actual. There are a lot of disagreements before an agreement is reached. The best way to get the right offer is to stay calm and try to avoid disputes. Be relaxed, and only settle for an offer that is nearest to the compensation that you must get.

7. Accept the offer

When you accept an offer, make sure that you have a minimum settled beforehand. Make sure to have this amount in mind and do not leave without it. Make sure to accept an offer only if you consider it. Your agreement will mainly be in written form, so make sure to make an option wisely.