Information and Advice on getting a Good Auto Accident Settlement

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by: MarkeD
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Word Count: 726
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 Time: 9:16 AM
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Whether the driver of a vehicle, passenger or pedestrian simply crossing the road, a road traffic accident can occur at any time and often without any warning.

A collision between vehicles or indeed between a vehicle and a pedestrian will normally be either partially or completely the fault of one of the drivers either due to a lack of care or simply due to misjudging a road situation.

A collision will often cause an injury to driver, passenger or pedestrian.

If you find yourself unfortunate enough to sustain an injury due to a car accident which was not your fault, you may feel that you wish to make a Personal Injury Claim.

This short article will give some advice upon how to obtain a favourable settlement of your claim.

Once a collision has occurred and presuming that you do not require immediate ambulance assistance, you should initially make sure that all drivers' details have been exchanged. This should include full names, addresses, telephone numbers and insurance details.

You should also make a note of the other vehicle(s) registration number and if possible take a photograph of all vehicles which have been involved in the accident.

Unless seriously injured, it may not be immediately apparent that an injury has occurred. Indeed many people who have incurred a whiplash type injury, may not feel the effects for a few hours or even days.

However if an injury does become apparent either shortly after the collision or even after several days, it is always advisable to seek medical advice and treatment either through your GP or Hospital Emergency Department.

If you will not be able to attend work for the foreseeable future, your GP can also issue you with a sickness certificate if required by your employer.

The next important step is to find a suitable Accident Claims Solicitor to pursue your claim for you; a good place to begin your search is the internet where such a solicitor may also be called a Personal Injury Solicitor, Compensation Claim Solicitors or No Win, No Fee Solicitor.

You should always choose an Apil (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) Accredited Solicitor who will adher to certain standards and benchmarks within the Personal Injury field. All Solicitors will also be regulated by the Law Society.

Feel free to speak to several solicitors before choosing one which appears best able to pursue your case.

Your chosen solicitor will liaise with the insurers of the driver who was at fault and will negotiate settlement of the claim. They will need to speak to you several times during the claim and so always notify them of a change of contact details and do respond to any letters they send you as soon as you can.

Settlement of the claim will usually involve an assessment of your injuries by an independent medical expert and you will need to attend an appointment which will be arranged by your solicitor. At the appointment, the expert will assess your injuries and will be able to give a prognosis for recovery from them along with any further recommended treatment. At this appointment, you should make sure that you describe your injuries in detail along with any affect upon your life and work.

A report will be prepared by the expert which will be used in negotiations to settle your claim and must therefore be as accurate and in depth as possible.

Your solicitor will also be able to claim back any financial losses which you have incurred as a result of the accident such as vehicle repairs, travel to medical appointments, loss of earnings, or private treatment. It is therefore a good idea to make a note of any financial losses which you incur following an accident since it may be difficult to recall exact details at a later date.

Lastly if you experience good service from a solicitor, do give them feed back and also be willing to recommend them to any friends or family who are unfortunate enough to have an accident. A competent and helpful solicitor can make the process of a Personal Injury Claim a lot less painful!

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Accident Claims