Although vehicle accident is in itself a horrifying incident to go through, the procedure of filing a compensation claim and following it throughout can make it appear even worse. Here is a little information that can assist you through the process if ever you have to file a car accident compensation claim.
Car accident compensation claims are filed by the person that is innocent in the accident. These cases are filed in court, with the assistance of a barrister. This will aid you in getting compensated for all your accident-related expenses, such as medical and car repair expenses.
Whilst there are many barristers who deal in cases related to accidents and injuries, you can also find one by looking around on the internet. If the police and insurance company have said that the accident was not your fault, you can start calling barristers to assist you in getting compensated for your expenses.
These claims, if they reach court, are heard by a judge, but not a jury. However, most insurance companies settle these cases out of court by giving you a lump sum payment that covers all your expenses, as they do not want the hassle of going to court. It is a good idea to talk to your lawyer about the payment you are being offered through court, just to make sure that the company is not underpaying you in order to save money.
Make sure you know the statute of limitations before filing you claim. Most people wait till they are fully recovered, and then begin filing the case - which sometimes results in their being ineligible to file a claim since the statute of limitations has already been passed. It is a good idea to talk to your lawyer to make sure you are within your rights to file a claim, and if possible get started with the proceedings as early as possible.
Most lawyers take cases on contingency. This means that if you lose, they will not need to be paid, but if they win they will be paid. This payment is mostly paid by the party being sued, in which case you can keep 100% of your claim. Make sure you get a specialist lawyer who gets you 100% of your claim, and takes their payment from the sued party, so that you don't end up paying a part of your claim to the lawyer.
This entire process can take time, as it involves police and the insurance companies along with the medical experts who need to verify that your claim is accurate. This can take anywhere from two to four months, or even a longer period of time. Most cases that get settled in two months are straight forward, and all the paperwork is in order. Cases that are harder to process, or where one party is dragging out the proceedings, can take much longer.
So, make sure you start proceedings as early as possible after the accident to be certain you get your money back in the quickest possible time. Getting a good lawyer is another way of making sure you get your payment easily, and without any trouble.