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How to Get the Most Payout After an Accident

Car Accidents On Friday, December 30, 2022

A car accident can be life-changing, with ramifications such as significant injuries and expensive bills. A crash could alter the course of your future forever. You may deserve a substantial payout as the victim of a car accident in Connecticut. Unfortunately, a car insurance company will try its best to underpay you. Luckily, there are steps that you can take to protect your rights and pursue a fair settlement.

Don’t Admit Fault

Connecticut is a “fault” car insurance state. This means that after a motor vehicle collision, the driver or party at fault for the accident is who must pay. After you get into an accident, when you are speaking to the other driver and the police, do not admit fault. Confessing to causing the accident could lead to the insurance company assigning fault to you even before an investigation. If you don’t admit fault for the crash, the insurance carrier will have to conduct an investigation to determine the cause. This may result in liability being assigned to someone else or divided between multiple parties.

Get Medical Care Without Delay

You may feel fine in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, but this doesn’t mean you are uninjured. You may be experiencing shock and adrenaline that are masking the symptoms of an injury. Do not answer any questions about your injuries or say that you are not injured when speaking to the police or an insurance company. Wait until you’ve seen a doctor to discuss your physical condition. Go to a hospital immediately after the crash for professional medical care.

Be Careful Speaking to Insurance Adjusters

You will be contacted by someone known as the insurance claims adjuster soon after your car crash. It is important to know that this person is not on your side. Even if he or she sounds friendly and helpful, the insurance adjuster’s job is to save the insurance company as much money on your payout as possible. Be careful what you say to the adjuster during the processing of your claim.

When answering questions about your car accident, stick to the facts. Do not make guesses or speculate about fault. Keep your answers short and concise. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say you don’t know. Do not agree to give the adjuster a recorded statement. Finally, do not sign anything sent to you from the insurance company until you have consulted with a car accident attorney.

Don’t Rush Into a Fast Settlement 

One tactic that is frequently used by car insurance companies is to offer a claimant a low settlement amount right at the beginning of the case. The insurer recognizes that most crash victims want to resolve their cases as soon as possible. They will use this to their advantage to make a lowball settlement offer in the hopes that the claimant will jump at the chance to settle the case.

Protect yourself by not saying yes to the very first settlement offer or rushing to resolve your claim. Take your time and negotiate with the car insurance company until reaching a fair settlement value. This is especially important if you suffered a serious injury and are still healing; do not accept a settlement offer until you’ve reached your point of maximum medical improvement. Once you sign a release of liability waiver, you cannot reopen your case. 

Hire an Experienced Car Accident Attorney in New Haven

The best way to protect yourself during a car accident claim in Connecticut is by hiring an attorney to represent you. A car accident lawyer will work for you – not an insurance corporation. Your lawyer will do everything possible to optimize your financial recovery and achieve a fair payout. You can trust your lawyer to negotiate with a car insurance company or file a car accident lawsuit, if necessary. An experienced New Haven car accident lawyer will pursue the best possible payout on your behalf.

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