How Alabama Car Accident Settlements Work: A Guide to the Process
Do you have questions about car accident settlements in Alabama? Understanding how Alabama car accident settlements work can help you focus on building a strong case to maximize your recovery.
Each car accident claim is unique. Therefore, you may encounter additional steps depending on the factors and circumstances of your case. However, the typical process you can expect as you wait for a car accident settlement check includes the following steps:
1. Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
Prompt medical treatment is essential after an accident. Insurance companies use any means available to deny or undervalue claims, including delays in medical care. See a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident.
Report all your symptoms for an accurate diagnosis and ensure your medical record is thorough. Your injuries are also a significant factor in the timeline for a car accident settlement.
2. Consult a Huntsville Car Accident Attorney
A personal injury lawyer can help you with a car accident settlement in numerous ways.
When you hire a car accident lawyer, you can expect them to:
- Protect you from being harassed into providing a written or recorded statement too soon
- Determine how the accident occurred and gather evidence proving fault
- Determine the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit and monitor the deadline to avoid losing your right to file a lawsuit
- Protect you from bad faith insurance practices
- Assess your damages to evaluate how much your case is worth
Your attorney can handle all matters related to your claim so that you can focus on recovering from injuries. Furthermore, attorneys have the resources and skills to investigate your case thoroughly.
3. File an Insurance Claim
Your attorney can also help you file an insurance claim. They can advise you regarding the types of claims you may be entitled to file and the potential outcomes of those claims.
4. Investigation and Claim Evaluation
Your attorney will continue investigating the crash and gathering evidence. An insurance adjuster will also investigate your claim and evaluate whether the insured driver is responsible for your damages.
The insurance adjuster may be friendly, but don’t forget that they work for the insurance company. Their job is to protect the company from liability. Therefore, anything you say or do could be intentionally misinterpreted and used against you.
Since Alabama is one of the few jurisdictions that applies a contributory fault standard to accident claims, speaking to them without your attorney could significantly affect your case.
5. Proposed Settlement Demand
Eventually, your attorney will prepare a settlement demand letter that summarizes your legal position and states the amount you are demanding to settle your claim. The settlement amount should be sufficient to compensate you for all losses.
6. Response to Settlement Demand and Settlement Negotiations
The insurance company may accept or reject your settlement demand. It could also make a counteroffer for a lower amount based on its view of fault, liability, and damages. Your attorney and the insurance company may negotiate back and forth for several weeks until they agree upon a settlement amount.
It is important to remember that signing a settlement agreement waives your right to further action. In other words, you agree to give up your right to file a lawsuit against any party for any claims related to the car accident.
7. Receive a Settlement Check or Proceed with a Lawsuit
Most personal injury cases are resolved at the negotiation stage with a settlement agreement. If the company agrees to a settlement amount, you should receive a check promptly. The company sends the check to your lawyer to disburse.
If settlement is not possible in your case, your attorney may advise you to proceed with a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Contact Our Huntsville Car Accident Lawyers at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you’ve recently been in a wreck, call our Huntsville car accident lawyers at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We can evaluate your case, answer your questions, and explain how we can help you fight to obtain the money you deserve from your car accident claim.
We are located in Birmingham, Huntsville & Montgomery.
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers – Birmingham Office
880 Montclair Road, Ste 300,
Birmingham, AL 35213
(205) 973-6417
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers – Huntsville Office
116 Jefferson St. Suite 207
Huntsville, AL, 35801
(256) 781-9242
Or find us with our GeoCoordinates: 34.73050852442579, -86.5863926515444
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers – Montgomery Office
7 Clayton St, Suite 200,
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 518-6098
Or find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.373594220209505, -86.3092041262694