How Do I File an Insurance Claim After a Car Accident?
Each year, 2.6 million people are rushed to the emergency room due to motor vehicle crash injuries. In the aftermath of a crash, you may be left frozen, stunned by what just unfolded. While your initial instinct may be to call your insurance agent, there are more effective ways to preserve your right to make a claim. In this blog, our Nashville car accident lawyers discuss what steps you should take in filing an insurance claim to help you maximize your benefits.
Contact the Police
In Tennessee, if you are involved in an accident that results in any injuries, fatalities, or more than $1,500 in property damage, you are required to file a written accident report with the police. The accident report will detail the date, time, and location of the accident, if there are any injuries, what the road conditions were at the time, and who the officer believes is responsible for the collision. If you are unsure if you should contact law enforcement, it is better to make the call since insurance companies often require an accident report when filing a bodily injury or property damage claim.
Exchange Information
It is important that you exchange your name, contact information, and insurance information with the other drivers. Be sure to get the name of the other driver’s insurance company and policy number. Instead of writing all this information down, take pictures of the other motorist’s driver’s license and insurance card.
Gather Evidence
Photos of vehicle wreckage, video surveillance of the accident unfolding, and eyewitness testimony can all help to support your case. Additionally, you should take pictures of the final resting positions of the vehicles involved and any visible injuries that you sustained. If any pedestrians witnessed the crash, be sure to get their names and contact information. You may need to call on them later to testify.
Speak with a Nashville Car Accident Attorney
A car accident can leave you with exorbitant medical bills and the inability to work. Sadly, insurance companies are only interested in minimizing your financial losses, not maximizing your benefits. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-01-05-.06 protects insured parties by making it illegal for insurers not to disclose benefits and coverage under the insured’s policy.
If you are filing a claim in Tennessee, the insurance company has 30 days to acknowledge receipt of your claim and 60 days to accept or deny your claim. If the claim is denied, the insurance company must explain its reasoning in writing. If the claim is accepted, the insurance company will have 30 days to furnish payment.
An insurer will bank on your naivety in their attempt to deny liability. Since Tennessee is an at-fault state, you will be filing your claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company in what is known as a third-party claim. When you work with the Nashville car accident lawyers at Raybin & Weissman, you can feel at ease knowing that your claim will be handled effectively and in a timely manner. We pride ourselves on helping accident victims gather the information they need to streamline the claims process.
Injured? Contact Our Nashville Car Accident Attorneys Today
Claims adjusters want to avoid paying on claims and are only interested in padding their pockets. At Raybin & Weissman, our Nashville car accident lawyers know how life-altering a car accident can be. If you or a family member have recently been injured in a collision, our legal team is eager to help you recover adequate compensation on your claim. To learn the true worth of your car accident case, do not hesitate to contact our office online or call 615-256-6666 today. We offer free, no-risk consultations to prospective clients.