Even car accidents that seem simple may have complications that make the claims process much harder. Any accident involving injuries, such as the recent collision that took place on Highway 17, can still result in complicated insurance processes.
After suffering an injury in an auto accident, you need to contact your insurance agency right away. You need to get the claims process underway immediately to try to recover damages as quickly as possible. During this time, you should watch out for various mistakes people make that upend the process entirely. One error could result in you not getting as much money as you deserve to recover properly.
Foregoing medical treatment
Within the first 24 hours of the crash, you should contact an insurance representative, and you should see a doctor. You may feel fine in the immediate aftermath of the crash due to the rush of adrenaline. However, you may still have injuries lurking beneath the surface, such as tissue damage. After you see a doctor, follow the treatment plan precisely. You do not want to end up in court only to say you have not taken your medication or failed to follow through on additional doctor appointments.
Taking the insurance company’s first offer
The other driver’s insurance company may offer you an initial settlement right away. It seems too good to be true because you prepared for a fight. You need to take this offer with a grain of salt. Many times, the insurance company offers something small to make the claim go away, but in actuality, you could get a lot more. You need your attorney to review any offer before accepting it.
Filing after the statute of limitations
In the state of Georgia, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. By taking all proper actions immediately, you will know whether you need to pursue this course of action within that two-year timeline.