How Attorneys Work With Insurance Companies From Both Parties
Contacting an experienced attorney if you’re in a car accident can get you the help you need. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, choose to file a first-party or third-party insurance claim or even both. Working with a car accident attorney means they can handle the paperwork and negotiations, allowing you to focus on recovery. Here’s an overview of car accident insurance claims and how attorneys work with insurance companies from the parties involved:
First-Party vs. Third-Party Insurance Claims
If you’re in an accident caused by another party’s negligence, you’ll want to work with their insurance company to recover damages. Seek a lawyer’s help to claim medical bills, property losses, lost wages, emotional distress, and other damages. Claims against the negligent driver or party are known as third-party insurance claims. Once the claim is filed, the defendant’s insurance company investigates the accident and either accepts fault and settles or refutes it. If they deny the claim, you’ll go to trial, where a judge or jury determines the outcome of the case.
Accident victims can also file a first-party insurance claim. This claim is filed against your own insurance company based on the policy and contract you have with them. First-party claims are often filed when you’re responsible for the accident or if the defendant is uninsured or underinsured. Since fault is not always clear, filing for both first-party and third-party insurance claims can help protect you. An experienced car accident attorney will help you determine the proper claim to file based on the circumstances of your crash.
How Attorneys Work With Insurance Companies
After an accident, speak to the police and first responders to give them the details of what happened to get the care you need. Next, you will want to inform your insurance company of the crash. You can hire an attorney to handle this part. The attorney will also take care of communications coming from the other driver’s insurance company. Here are four ways attorneys work with insurance companies from both parties:
Representing You in Communications
Instead of talking with the defendant’s insurance company, let the attorney handle such communications to avoid providing information that could support your negligence or downplay your injuries.
Sharing Information During Discovery
Car accident attorneys can share information with both insurance companies during the discovery phase. This phase involves gathering and sharing evidence as both teams work to determine liability. Your attorney can gather evidence from dashcam footage, eyewitnesses, expert witnesses, medical bills, and other receipts to prove your case.
Negotiating Fair Monetary Compensation
If your case is backed by solid evidence against the defendant, their insurance company may choose to settle out of court. Your attorney’s job is to negotiate the maximum possible settlement for your damages. If the insurance company refuses to pay what your lawyer believes is reasonable compensation, take the case to trial.
Closing and Settling the Insurance Claim
Attorneys work with insurance companies to determine acceptable ways to settle your claim. Once the insurance company agrees to settle, your lawyer negotiates the terms. The insurance company may pay a lump sum or deposit installments over a pre-determined duration. Once the total amount is settled, the attorney can help you close the lawsuit.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today
Experienced car accident lawyers offer comprehensive services, from free consultation to legal representation in negotiations and trials. If you’re in an accident, an attorney can help you recover damages from insurance companies. Lawyers protect your legal rights and interests to help you get fair compensation. Speak to a car accident attorney today to learn more about your rights and options following an accident.
