You should take a car accident of any size seriously. Even though traffic may begin to resume freely shortly after the crash, which occurred recently near West Salem, you may have to contend with the side effects for months or even years to come.
You should see a doctor and contact your auto insurance company soon after the auto accident. At this time, you only need to tell the insurance representative the basic facts. You do not have to admit blame or speculate about what led to the crash. It is vital to recognize that your insurance company does not always have your best interests at heart. You should be wary of the following statements agencies often tell to get out of paying you as much compensation as you should receive.
“Your injuries are not extreme enough to warrant compensation.”
You may only have a small injury that requires minimal medical treatment. You may think you do not need to bother your insurance company. An adjuster may even tell you that it is too small to cover. However, injuries of any size should receive compensation. You still have payments to make to your doctor’s office or urgent care. Additionally, you may have entitlements to other forms of compensation. For example, the collision could have occurred right before you were to go on vacation, and now you can no longer go. You may be able to receive coverage for those and other lost expenses.
“You have to accept this offer or you receive nothing.”
You do not have to accept an insurance company’s first offer. You do not even have to accept the second one. You should follow the advice of your lawyer, and if that involves taking the insurance company to court, then so be it. You have a right to a fair settlement, and you do not have to accept low-ball offers from an insurance agency.