QUESTION
I was in a traffic accident and am wondering the best way to proceed with a third-party liability claim
Asked on Apr 24th, 2014 on Automobile Accidents - California
More details to this question:
On 3/28/2014 I was in a traffic accident in California where I was on a motorcycle and hit by a car who merged into my lane. I sustained a rib fracture in the crash and believe the other driver to be at fault. There were no witnesses to the crash but the police were called and did respond. After interviewing both me and the other party a police report was filed finding the other party at fault. Their insurance company is still determining liability. How long does this process usually take? Should I send a demand letter before liability is determined? Can my demand letter include amounts for both property and personal injury?
1 ANSWER
2 Awards
Prior to sending a demand letter you typically want to complete medical treatment so that you don't settle without having a complete idea of what your claim is worth. It sounds like your intention is to proceed with this process on your own, but I would strongly advise that you retain an attorney to assist you. Insurance companies rarely if ever offer a self-represented claimant a reasonable amount. Often times they will try to get individuals to settle claims very quickly, even sending checks along with a release before an agreement has been reached. Obviously if you hire an attorney a third of your recovery will be used to pay the lawyer, but 9 tiimes out of 10 you are still going to net more money in your pocket at the end of the day.
Thanks,
Jon
Answered on Apr 26th, 2014 at 7:33 PM