Rigid focus on personal injury and resistance to change This goes beyond refusing only-property-damage cases. Many PI attorneys refuse to help their existing personal injury clients with Property Damage. But many of these same attorneys will have no issue claiming something like “Loss of Wages” or even “Loss of Use”.
Full Answer
Lawyers do have skills, you know. There are some great ways they can help: Completes a professional investigation. Personal injury firms may have their own investigators document the scene of an accident, interview witnesses and develop theories about how the incident occurred.
However, if the insurance company denies the claim, it's possible that the only way for the victim to recover is by going through a full civil trial. Litigation is complex and requires close adherence to proper procedures and rules of evidence. This is not a task best handled by a novice.
A personal injury lawyer helps individuals who have sustained injuries in accidents to recover financial compensation. These funds are often needed to pay for medical treatment, make up for lost wages, pain and suffering, and provide compensation for injuries suffered.
If you know that the other party was responsible for the accident but the insurance company does not want to take responsibility, it is important to talk to a lawyer to get an objective and experienced opinion. Multiple parties may be involved. In some cases, accidents might involve multiple vehicles or parties.
One common piece of advice is not to provide a statement to the other driver's insurance company since it will simply look for ways to deny liability. An injury lawyer may also recommend seeking medical treatment to document the relationship between the accident and the injury.
Lawyers generally show up on the worst day of a person's life.
Surprisingly, not every case requires the use of a lawyer.
Property damage is injury or harm to anything other than a person, basically. This could include a car, tree, home, fence or anything else you could think of. This could also include items inside of an automobile, like technical equipment or things you were carrying with you (e.g., textbooks, a laptop or a car seat for your child).
Additionally, your state will also have a time limit on when you can bring a lawsuit against someone for property damage. This varies between 2-6 years depending on your state.
Then, call the at-fault driver's insurance company and file a claim. This will be assigned to a claims adjuster, and you will be given a case number. This is called a third-party claim. (The at-fault driver is the first party.)
When property damage occurs in a car accident, it will usually be handled through insurance companies. Here is the typical path below.
Damages are illustrated by their replacement value, the cost of repairs, the loss of use until the items are replaced or repaired, or testimony as to their sentimental value if the item in question is a family heirloom. When property damage occurs in a car accident, it will usually be handled through insurance companies.
Write down any statements the at-fault driver makes that are against his interest (e.g., “It was my fault,” or “I'm so sorry, a bear jumped in front of my car”).
The first step in a property-damage-only accident is still like any other: Make sure nobody was hurt. That's the most important thing.