One of the most common questions clients will have when they schedule a free consultation with our experienced lawyers is, “How our personal injury cases handled?” In this article, our Pittsburgh accident attorney explains everything you need to know about filing a personal injury claim. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to call our office to set up a free confidential consultation. Let our experience work for you.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim | First Steps
If you’ve been involved in an accident and you are making a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania, there are certain steps that need to be followed before the claim can come to its conclusion. First thing is to see a doctor. Second thing is to consult with a personal injury lawyer. When I say personal injury lawyer, I don’t mean just any lawyer. Make sure that the lawyer you hire is experienced in personal injury matters and making claims to insurance companies.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim | Get Medical Treatment
That lawyer will advise you to make sure you follow your doctor’s protocols and treatment plan, and they will basically monitor the case until you’re done treating with your medical providers. At that point, your medical records will be ordered, and your medical bills will be calculated along with your out-of-pocket expenses and lost wages. That all goes into a demand letter, which is sent to the insurance company with the medical records, and everything that documents your out-of-pocket expenses.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim | Dealing with Insurance Companies
Within 30 days, the insurance company will respond, and then they will make an offer. The first offer is always a low-ball, and some people are insulted by the first offer, but that’s just a negotiation process. We start high, they start low, and we try to bridge that gap in about a two to four-week period. Within four weeks of getting the initial offer from the insurance company, you will then probably have their highest offer. At that point, you will decide whether to accept it or reject it. Your attorney will advise you the pros and cons of rejecting or accepting it. If it is rejected, then you will have to file a lawsuit and it will be resolved in about a year or two after the lawsuit was filed, either by settlement or by a jury decision.
Were you or a loved one seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence and have questions about how a personal injury claim is handled? Contact our experienced Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers at Accident & Injury Law Group today for a free confidential consultation and case evaluation.