How to Get Full Compensation for Damages You Sustained in a Car Accident

By Your Health Magazine

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you might have suffered extreme injuries that have changed your life forever. Even if you only suffered minor damages, such as damage to your vehicle and minimal personal harm, car accidents can be extremely painful and disruptive.

You deserve to be compensated for the damages you sustained in any car accident that wasn’t your fault. But how can you make sure you get the full compensation you’re owed?

The Idea

The law provides a remedy for anyone who suffers damages in an incident attributable to someone else’s negligence. A person is negligent when they breach their duty of care to other people in a way that actually and proximately causes harm. Applying this idea to car accidents, it basically means that anyone responsible for a car accident is responsible for paying for all the harm and damage they caused.

By working with a car accident lawyer, you may be able to recover on fronts like the following:

Property damage. If your car was totaled, you should be able to recover the full cost of the vehicle. If it was merely damaged, you should be able to recover the full costs of repairs.
Medical bills and related expenses. You are also entitled to compensation for medical bills and related expenses, including but not limited to costs of prescription medication, physical therapy, and any medical devices you need.
Lost wages and earning potential. If you are out of work because of the injuries you sustained in the car accident, you’ll also be eligible for compensation for your lost wages. The same is true for any lost earning potential in your future.
Pain and suffering. In many cases, you’ll be able to recover damages associated with your subjective pain and suffering, especially if your injuries were severe.
Wrongful death. If someone died in this car accident, you may also be able to file a wrongful death action, with its own subset of damage calculations.

The Problems

So why is it difficult to fully recover compensation for these damages?

The legal system. For starters, our legal system is complicated. It’s very difficult for an average person to navigate the landscape of filing complaints, answers, motions, and settlement documents. Without the guidance of a good lawyer, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to follow these processes to the letter.
Documentation and evidence. If you want to be awarded compensation, you need to be able to prove damages. That means you’ll need ample documentation and evidence to show not only the extent of the damages, but also the causational link between the negligent conduct and those damages.
Insurance companies. As much as you want to be awarded compensation, insurance companies want to deny it. It’s not because they’re malicious or acting in bad faith, but rather because they’re acting as a company with a legitimate interest in making a profit. When you sue for damages, you’re indirectly suing insurance companies most of the time, and those insurance companies will negotiate fiercely to keep their expenses down.
Opposing counsel. Opposing counsel is another potential issue. You may have a great personal injury attorney working on your side, but insurance companies will have their own teams of lawyers pushing back on every front.

Key Strategies to Win Full Compensation

These are the most important strategies to win full compensation for damages sustained in a car accident:

Hire the best lawyer you can. First, you need to hire the best lawyer you can. A good lawyer is going to be able to help you with everything, from filing the requisite paperwork to negotiating with insurance companies and even helping you gather evidence.
Get medical attention promptly and thoroughly. Get medical attention immediately after the accident and follow all medical advice. That also means attending all your follow-up appointments and undergoing recommended treatments.
Gather as much evidence as possible. Gather as much evidence as you can. The more documentation you have to support your claims, the better.
Be ready to negotiate. Settlement negotiations are where you’ll be able to win the most ground. Negotiations can take a long time and introduce new complications, so remain patient as you push for what you deserve.
Consider the possibility of a trial. Most civil disputes never go to trial, and for good reason: it’s faster and cheaper for both parties that way. However, if you’re willing to go to trial, you’ll be able to negotiate from a stronger position and potentially win more damages.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident that resulted in significant damages, you owe it to yourself to fight for full compensation. With the help of a good attorney and a bit of patience, you should be able to do it.