How an Insurance Company Value an Auto Accident Injury Claim

Auto accident cases can turn out to be fatal in certain instances. Once a person suffers injury in an auto accident, he is legally eligible to make a personal injury claim. In the successful completion of the procedures of the claim, the injured person will be able to receive compensation depending on the extent of the damage suffered.

Many of the clients who seek the help of a personal injury attorney in an auto accident case are likely to ask about the net worth of the case. The truth is that no two auto accident cases will be worth the same. The compensation that will be paid to the victim in an auto accident case will solely depend on the factors involved in the case. Therefore it is impossible to determine the worth of a case beforehand.

Even when the extent of the injury is the prime factor determining the compensation the victim can receive, there are many other factors as well which can affect the amount of compensation he/she is worthy of receiving. Here are some of those important factors based on which an insurance company will value the personal injury claim one may raise in an auto accident.

Police Report

Soon after the accident, the police who visit the scene will make their report of the accident. It is the responsibility of the injured party to request a copy of the police report. The insurance adjuster who is dealing with your case will try to know if you had received the police report or not. It is because the police report contains all the important details regarding the case. In certain cases, the insurance company will ask the police officer to confirm that the statements and data given by the injured party are genuine and true.

Medical Assistance

It is very important to seek medical help soon after your accident. This can be a major factor that the insurance company considers when dealing with your injury claim. Whether or not you sought medical help soon after the accident can also affect your claim. The medical reports can be used as the main evidence to prove the seriousness of the accident and the injury suffered by the victim.

Pre-existing Injuries

The insurance company may use the pre-existing injuries on the body of the victim to diminish the seriousness of the injury suffered in the accident. Therefore, a thorough check-up of the pre-existing injuries should be made to know if the accident has made the injury worse. If such a thing has happened, the victim will be eligible to get additional compensation for this injury as well. In certain cases, the previously existing sickness can become aggressive due to the accident. The insurance company will be responsible to pay for this as well. Nevertheless, the insurance company will try their best to avoid paying for this. An experienced injury attorney can help you in such a situation.

Statements of the Victims

The victim has to be careful in making any statements after the accident. The insurance adjuster may use any of the statements made by the victim against the person. The injured person might be emotionally broken after the accident and may speak out something, which may badly affect the successful pursuit of the claim that he raises. Therefore, one has to be careful in what he/she speaks to the police officer, witnesses, or the driver after suffering injuries in an auto accident. He/ she should also abstain from talking to the insurance adjuster regarding the details of the case.

Citations

If the police officer makes any citations at the accident scene, the insurance adjuster will consider it seriously. Common examples of citations include driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, running a traffic signal, over speeding, etc. Such citations can affect the procedures of your injury claim.

Testimony Given by the Witnesses

The insurance company will review the testimonies given by the people who witnessed the accident. These testimonies can affect the claim either in your favor or against your favor, depending on the witness reports.

Photographs

The photographs taken of the accident scene can also affect the compensation that the victim receives in an auto accident. These photographs can be very significant in proving who is liable for the accident. Therefore, it is important to take and keep the pictures of the accident scene, from different angles.

Lost Wages

If the victim has suffered a loss of wages due to the accident and related procedures, bringing of proper documents to prove the same can support the personal injury claim that he/she is raising. This will determine if he is eligible to receive lost wages compensation.

All the above-mentioned factors affect the personal injury claim made by a person. The effect may be positive or negative depending on the factor.