Driving is supposed to be a time for yourself where you are able to relax, turn in your favorite songs and just enjoy the ride. And yet, in a blink of an eye, you notice another vehicle’s headlights cross your way.
In these types of situations, you do not have enough time to properly react and then you just feel that another car has just stricken yours and you’re not completely sure what has just occurred. Something like this can be extremely stressful, especially if you’ve been seriously injured.
There are so many things you need to worry about, such as medical expenses, the pain you are feeling, missed days of work, etc. You know that this wasn’t your fault, so what are you supposed to do next? Below we will tell you exactly what to do to get the compensation you need.
Steps That Must Be Taken To Receive The Right Settlement
Keep Track Of All accident-related Costs
Even though it’s completely understandable if you’re worried about your current situation, it’s of huge importance to the first wait until your condition improves before you proceed with injury claims. Bear in mind that a lot of injuries do not manifest in the beginning.
Some of them take weeks or even months and that’s something that can drastically increase the crash-related expenses. Furthermore, you should keep track of all accident-related costs, which normally include ambulance expenses, emergency room costs, medical equipment, damage to your car, co-pays, etc.
All this information is essential since it is something that will help your attorney build a proper accident claim against the drunk driver. Besides that, it wouldn’t hurt to track how many days at work you have missed and how much money you’ve lost precisely because of it. Keep in mind that the average drunk driving accident settlement can go up to $125,000 so you want to do everything that’s in your power to be very thorough about it. You do not want to mess things up.
Report Every Single Injury To Your Car Insurance Company
The sooner you do this, the better. If you feel relatively okay, even if you’re in the emergency room, make sure to contact your insurance company even if it’s relatively late. Luckily, a lot of insurance companies can be accessed practically 24/7, so if you’re feeling fine, make sure to contact them as soon as possible.
It’s worth mentioning that a plethora of insurance companies have online claim portals where people can submit a claim from any of their devices, such as cell phones or computers. So let them know that you were involved in a car crash and that you were injured.
What Else Can You Do?
Don’t Forget The Evidence!
If you want to maximize your settlement, then you should obtain as much evidence as you can as soon as something like this happens. If you feel like you’re capable, you can start collecting evidence at the scene.
So what does this involve? Normally, it includes things like taking pictures of your injuries, as well as taking pictures of your vehicle.
You Need To Prove That The Driver Who Hit You Was Impaired
If you live in the United States, then you should know that non-commercial drivers who are older than 21 and who have BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08% or even more, are perceived as legally impaired and can definitely be criminally charged.
Those non-commercial drivers who are below twenty-one are perceived legally impaired with a blood alcohol content of 0.02% or more. So what are you supposed to do to prove that the person who hit your vehicle is intoxicated? In order to do so, you must acquire these documents:
- A copy of the police report
- Gather statements from people who witnessed the crash and have heard the other driver saying that he or she has caused the crash
- Collect video and photo evidence that showcase that the other driver was acting like he/she was under the influence
Hire A Good Lawyer
It is more than obvious that this is something you should definitely not go through alone, especially if you’ve never been in an accident before. Plus, bear in mind that an insurance company would love to give you a relatively small compensation and just make things go away.
With the right lawyer, that’s something they will never be able to do, hence, make sure to hire somebody who is skilled and knowledgeable and who will help you get the settlement you deserve.
As it was stated at the beginning of this article, drunk driving accidents can cause huge stress to anybody involved. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fight for yourself and precisely by implementing these tips, you will get the best possible outcome.