Would you know what to do if you collided with another vehicle? In a car accident, injuries can be serious. However, there are important details to deal with such as court charges.
Curious of what to do if someone sues you for a car accident?
Our five tips will help you through the entire process
1. Notify the Insurer Soonest Possible
Do you know that there’s a period set for reporting accidents?
The period is one week. You can go to an office or communicate through any customer service.
Provide medical documentation and everything related to the accident. This includes friendly part, crowded, and photographs.
Mostly, insurance companies offer compensation below what corresponds to you. In case you don’t agree with what the company offers, you can demand.
Thus, if you have an external lawyer, he/she will recommend you file a claim.
Compensable Personal Damages
You must also handle other concepts related to the healing days.
It involves the days of basic, moderate, serious and very serious personal injury.
Companions are always entitled to compensation!
To make a claim you must contact the insurance company of the vehicle.
Contact an External Lawyer If You Are Wondering What to Do If Someone Sues You for a Car Accident
Do you want to claim compensation? It’s convenient to contact an external lawyer. He/she must be a specialist in traffic accidents.
We must take into account the support and guarantees offered by lawyers. The lawyer will contact the insurance company.
They’ll also advise you on the relevant legal procedures according to your case.
2. Previous Experience
Previous experience in similar cases provides more confidence. When you choose a lawyer who isn’t from the same city, there are some drawbacks.
The professional may not know some rules about the city. Punctuality in appointments is essential to make the case shorter.
A search on the Internet allows you to know the experiences or criticisms of other users. This helps you know more about your firm.
Make a list of potential lawyers located within the city. Then, make appointments and ask all the necessary questions. Inquire about the costs of fees or extra charges.
Some professionals give a first free consultation. This serves to know more about the case and know if it’ll get accepted.
3. Punctuality of the Process
Do you know that the late filing of a complaint might make it rejected?
The law marks a deadline by which an accident claim may get filed. This is the statute of limitations.
This doesn’t guarantee that a person cannot evade charges after a certain period of time.
The definition of time is according to the claim.
Settling the Lawsuit
Within this step, you must do all the necessary paperwork to file the complaint. The lawyers usually carry out most of this procedure.
However, it’s imperative you follow the whole process closely. You have to comply with the information and personal documents.
The complaint or allegation must contain valid information. The information provided is from both parties.
If the facts are truthful, the case will have minor inconveniences.
The presented data include:
- Information about the plaintiff and the defendant. This includes full name, address, contact telephone number and profession.
- Description of the facts. These are the events that’ll support the plaintiff in the case.
- Bases for the court on the case.
- List of legal claims of the plaintiff.
Demand for judgment. It contains the requests and compensation that the plaintiff wants.
This document must include the reason why the defendant is receiving the claim. After this, the defendant could also file a complaint answering the plaintiff.
Throughout the process, it’s advisable to carry personal identification. Also, be available to answer calls or messages from your lawyer.
4. The Prosecution
A criminal case usually starts with the police. They detect and report an offense. It’s then that an investigation under the leadership of a public prosecutor starts.
Case Disclosure
Both parties must get involved in the disclosure of documents. This helps you gather the information necessary to defend yourself.
At the same time, you can carry out interrogations. Make applications and request for special documents.
You have the option of having witnesses and evidence in your favor. The lawyer can question all witnesses to get useful information.
Besides that, you can share the prepared evidence. This includes photographs, medical records or relevant documents in the case.
The lawyer must notify you about the date of the disclosure of documents.
It’s important to deliver information about the case as soon as possible. This will help the process to be faster.
The Trial
When sued for a car accident, preparation is very important!
You must get well prepared before going to trial. This is to avoid mistakes or nerves in front of the judge.
Do some possible questions that the defendant would ask. Agree on the way in which you’ll answer the interrogations.
During the trial, both parties submit to a jury. The jury will decide if the defendant is guilty or not. It’ll also decide the compensation that the plaintiff will receive.
The trial starts with the selection of a jury. Opening statements follows and then the presentation of evidence occurs.
The testimony is of utmost importance to the jury. This helps to determine whether you’re guilty or not.
5. Costs of an Accident Claim
How much can someone sue for a car accident? There’s a difference between the costs for various cases!
It depends on the city, court, waiting time and the services of the lawyer.
A lawyer provides an estimate of the cost of your case. If it’s higher, you can offer to pay the total payment at the end of the process.
The main expense to consider is about the lawyer. He/she should give you a rate of his service according to the case.
If you have a low financial resource you can negotiate on the rate. You should consider other expenses such as payment to the notifier.
Other expenses made during the process include transportation, communication, food, and witness fees.
Incurred medical costs are also compensated.
Summing up!
Finally, you’re now well guided on what to do if someone sues you for a car accident
Now that you are not alone! You can always seek legal consultation. Contact us here and we’ll be happy to assist you.
