How to Make Car Accident Insurance Claims in California

How Much Compensation Am I Due For Pain And Suffering After A Car Accident?

First calculate how many days you dealt with the injury. You could calculate a daily rate for pain and suffering. Alternatively, you could compare your economic damages to your pain and suffering request. 

There is no formula for working out the compensation for pain and suffering, according to a car accident lawyer. Many factors go into the calculation. It is important for our car accident lawyers to have all of the details about your case to help calculate pain and suffering compensation. 

The insurance company of the negligent driver will reach out to you right away after a car accident. Their calls are all recorded, and they hope to record you saying things that they can use to reduce your compensation. Even something as simple as saying “good thanks” when they ask “how are you?” can reduce your settlement. They will argue that you don’t have pain and suffering rather than it being a normal thing to say. 

So that we can protect you from the tactics of insurance companies, our car accident lawyers will negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf. 

The Insurance Process 

All insurance companies are looking to reduce their accident payout and therefore protect their profits. Most of their staff have incentives to try and find ways to reduce compensation. 

Their tactics work because most people assume insurance companies are there to help them. Also, a lot of people don’t fully understand the process of filing an insurance claim. Often people will accept a settlement that sounds like a lot of money. However, they don’t take into account the full cost of their injuries both in the present and the future. It is best to have a car accident lawyer handling your case and dealing aggressively with the insurance companies. 

Filing A Claim 

Filing a claim for your damages is the first step in an insurance claim. Before you do this, you want to have a full understanding of the cost of your injuries and losses. This includes past, current, and future costs that were directly caused by the car accident. Most people underestimate their damages as they don’t take into account everything they can claim for. Therefore not many people receive adequate compensation if they don’t have a car accident lawyer on their side. Our car accident lawyer will assist you in calculating every single dollar you are entitled to. From there, we will fight and advocate for you until you receive every penny of that. 

Dealing With Insurance Companies 

Following a car accident, you should expect to hear from an insurance company, either yours or that of the negligent driver. This can happen either once you’ve filed a claim, or sometimes even directly following the accident. The insurance company will try and tell you they are on your side and act sympathetic. However, it is important to remember they are a business, and they are acting in their best interests, not yours. Sometimes they ask for a recorded statement and say that one is necessary for a claim. That is not true. You do not need to make a recorded statement unless you are suing them.