Car accidents are on the rise in West Virginia, so it pays to know what to do after the situation and how to deal with the aftermath. It’s a scary position to find yourself in and can make planning very difficult. Making sure you have the best car accident lawyer in Beckley WV, is one way to combat this horrible experience, however, there are others. This article will help you through this traumatic situation and help you to prepare for all of the future problems that you will likely face such as who to contact and what to ask for.
Immediate Aftermath
Straight after a car accident, it can be hard to concentrate and make logical decisions. The most important thing to do is make sure that both you and anyone else involved are okay and not seriously injured. Seek assistance from both the local emergency services and any passers-by. It’s important to put yourself and your health first. After ensuring that everyone is okay then you can begin gathering details for your car insurance claims.
The important thing to do immediately after the car accident is to gather as much evidence as possible. This includes getting the information of anyone involved, taking photographs of the damage to both you and your cars. Also, you should look for evidence of how the accident came about. It will be important for your claim to be able to establish blame and fault. If you can get a photo or have camera footage that can show it is not your fault, then you will be immediately in a better place for a claim.
As well as photos, you should gather information about the time of day the accident happened, the weather conditions, and any other mitigating circumstances such as road conditions that may have contributed to the accident. Though you should never accept blame, it is important to be able to contact everyone else involved. You are obliged to report a car accident within 24 hours of it happening so having all of the information on hand is helpful.
Your Vehicle
Next, you should turn your attention to the state of your vehicle and possessions. If your vehicle has only been lightly damaged, you can claim on your insurance to get them fixed. Your insurers may even send an inspector round to view the damages and make sure that your claim is sufficient for the damages you have claimed.
This may sound unusual, but it is sometimes economically more beneficial for the car to be written off. This means that it is no longer suitable for the road and that to get it repaired so that you can drive it again would cost you more than the car is worth. This means that your insurer should offer you the car’s market value at the time of the accident. You can negotiate this price but you will need to provide evidence that your car is worth more than what they have offered. You can do this by enlisting the help of local engineers or by showing similar car prices in your area.
Once you have agreed on the price, your insurer will keep the car. They will often seek your permission for the car to be taken to the scrapyard and sold for parts. If they don’t, you are entitled to the salvage value of the car as well.
What Can You Claim For?
It is important to know that your claim can extend further than just your material possession of your car. You should also include any possessions that you have in the car if they had any value to you. These can include any technological devices like phones, satellite navigational systems, and screens that are in the car. Equally, if you were transporting any goods at the time, you are allowed to claim for the value of that. It may not be ideal, but it will certainly help you deal with the financial burden.
Also, you should factor into your claim the medical bills that the accident has caused. This can get quite pricey as, if the accident was serious then you could be laid up in hospital for a long time. In addition to this, if you require any medical surgery then these operations can begin to rack up costs. By including this in your claim, you can make sure that you are not left with a huge financial burden as well as a ruined car.
Physiotherapy costs are also something that you should try to think about. If the accident has laid you off work or prevented, you from being able to adequately do your job then you should ask your lawyer if this is something that can be compensated. You may require physiotherapy to get yourself fit and healthy which is not a cheap expense.
Along a similar vein is therapy for the trauma that you have experienced. Some drivers, justifiably, feel nervous about returning to the road after an accident. Loud noises or sharp turns can trigger feelings experienced during the accident. If you require therapy to return to the road then this is something that should be factored into the compensation claim. You should not be punished for an accident that was not your fault. Always make sure that you take into consideration the vast repercussions that the car accident has imposed on your life. It may be more substantial than you originally thought.
Car Accidents
These can be a traumatic experience for anyone, and it helps to know that there is a process you can follow that will not only help you get through it financially and healthily but hopefully removes any panic that you may be facing. The gist of this information is that evidence is key after making sure that everyone is okay. Get as much information and data from everyone involved and then report to your insurance and the relevant emergency services. This will ensure that you receive an adequate compensation package and are not left out in the cold.
