Car Accident Case

Answer:

When people come to my office, one of the questions they ask is, “What are the steps involved in making a claim to the insurance company after you’ve been involved in a car accident in Pennsylvania?” The first steps you need to do is seek medical attention and follow the treatment plan that your doctor prescribes to you. The next thing you need to do is hire an experienced personal injury lawyer; someone who’s handled car accident claims in the past and is not afraid to take your case to trial if need be.
After you’re done treating, the attorney collects all your records, documents all your out-of-pocket expenses, documents your wage loss, and sends a settlement demand to the insurance company. The insurance company typically responds within 30 days, and the opening offer is always a low-ball offer. The attorney that you hired and the insurance company then negotiate your claim over a period of several weeks. The ultimate goal is for the attorney to obtain the highest amount that the insurance is willing to pay.

At that point, you and your attorney will discuss whether that settlement offer is fair and the option of proceeding to trial. If you want to accept a settlement offer, then usually in a matter of two or three weeks the claim is resolved. If not, you’ll have to file a lawsuit. At that point, it’ll take at least a year or two before your claim is resolved. If you have to go to trial, it will be resolved about two years after the lawsuit is filed.