Wisconsin Car Accident Insurance Claims
Getting an insurance company to compensate you for medical bills, lost wages and other losses following a car accident is not easy. Insurers will use a variety of methods to try to minimize the amount they have to pay or they will deny a claim altogether.
You can help protect your right to recover by gathering evidence at the scene of the accident. Immediately after an accident, call the police so a report can be made. Get the other driver’s name, address, telephone number, and insurance information. If there are witnesses and you are able, get their contact information as well. Take photos of the scene as well as the cars. Report the accident to your insurance company. Be sure to call an experienced Wisconsin car accident insurance claims lawyer.
You do not want to be at a disadvantage following an injury from a car crash that was not your fault. Do not let the insurance company victimize you again.
Do Not Let Your Insurance Company Take Advantage of You
There is a reason that insurance companies fear us. At Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C., in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, our Wisconsin car accident insurance claims attorneys have more than 60 years of combined experience fighting for just compensation for the injured victims of car accidents. Our experience allows us to fight harmful insurance tactics as both personal injury litigators and advisers. Insurance companies know us and respect us. As your attorneys, we can answer your questions about car insurance and protect your rights should you or a loved one suffer an injury in a car accident.
Avoid making the mistakes that can reduce your car accident injury recovery. Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C., online or call us at 414-289-0909.
When Should I Seek Medical Help After a Car Accident?
Mistake: Not seeking medical help immediately
In order to recover full and fair compensation for your car accident injuries, you should seek medical help immediately. This is true even if you think you have a minor injury or that “the pain will go away.” Insurance companies gain an important strategic advantage when people wait to seek medical care because it allows them to argue against medical claims. They often state that a car accident victim’s pain could not have been “that bad” because he or she did not seek medical help right away; or that the medical condition is not related to the accident because immediate medical attention was not sought. It is vital that you document your injuries following a car crash by seeking medical treatment and thus, creating a record of your injuries.
Should I Give a Recorded Statement?
Mistake: Giving a written or recorded statement to an insurance company before speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney
Statements given to insurance companies soon after an accident, whether to your own company or to the wrongdoer’s, can only work against you in the claims process. While you may well have a contractual obligation to provide a statement to your own company, you have no such obligation to someone else’s company. Your obligation to your own company can be fulfilled after you consult with an attorney and doing so may offer vital protection for your rights.
We insist on being on any phone conversation, whether recorded or not, between you and the insurance company following an injury — that way we can be sure you are only providing information to which they are entitled and not saying anything that will negatively impact your case.
Insurance companies will not offer a settlement that fully compensates an injured individual for the expenses relating to past and future medical care, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, future loss of earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
Should I Accept a Settlement Offer?
Mistake: Accepting a “low-ball” offer shortly after being injured in a car crash
Insurance companies will not offer a settlement that fully compensates an injured individual for the expenses relating to past and future medical care, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, future loss of earning capacity, and pain and suffering simply out of kindness. In almost every car accident case, the insurance company will make a very low offer shortly after the crash. They try to tempt you into taking a little bit of money even though no one knows the extent of your injuries and other losses related to the car accident.
They are hoping you will take a small sum of money and sign a release, which means they never have to pay you any more money and you cannot, ever, file a lawsuit against the person who caused the crash or the insurance company. Do not accept an early, “low-ball” offer without calling us to discuss your claim. Sadly, people make this error every day and cost themselves substantial amounts of money and they never get the compensation they deserved.
What Insurance Coverage Should I Purchase? How Much Is Enough?
Mistake: Not purchasing enough insurance coverage and not purchasing umbrella coverage
One of the largest concerns we have at Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C., is the insurance industry’s push to sell policies that shortchange our clients in the event of a car crash. What you decide to skip in insurance now will come back to haunt you when you are injured in a car accident.
It is absolutely crucial that you purchase the maximum amount of coverage for your family that you can afford. We know it can “hurt” to write a premium check to an insurance company because you don’t think you’ll ever need that much coverage. However, the “hurt” you will feel when your or a loved one’s recovery is greatly limited because you chose to buy a small amount of coverage is far worse. Sadly, we have had the experience of recovering the maximum amount of money available for our clients and yet that sum is not nearly enough to fully compensate them for their injuries. Don’t let this happen to you and your loved ones. Plan ahead and protect your family as best as you can.
It is very important to buy a high amount of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage so you can be protected regardless of how much, if any, insurance the other driver has. Unfortunately, the law was changed in 2011 to allow insurance companies to greatly reduce the amount of coverage they provide to a person by way of underinsured motorist coverage. Of course, consumers are kept in the dark about these reductions until their lives are turned upside down by a car crash injury.
Another overlooked protection available to everyone is an umbrella policy. An umbrella policy, which kicks in to protect you once other underlying insurance is exhausted will likely cost you a relatively small amount of money per year – but it provides a great amount of protection.
Without umbrella insurance to protect your family, you may be responsible for paying the cost of damages you cause above and beyond your insurance limits if you are at fault for an accident. Additionally, the uninsured and underinsured coverage on your umbrella policy will protect you and your family when someone else injures you in a car crash. Umbrella policies ensure more complete coverage for your losses. Be sure to discuss umbrella policies with your insurance agent or company.
Each Milwaukee car accident attorney at Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C., excel at advising people on what kind of insurance coverage is available, including mandatory and important optional coverage. As experienced personal injury litigators and victim advocates, we can not only help make sure you get the compensation you are entitled to, but also help you avoid making insurance decisions that can adversely affect you should you be in a future accident.
Protect Your Right to Recover — After a Car Accident, Call Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.
Because there is much more to an injury claim than the medical bills you have already paid, we strongly recommend speaking with an experienced car accident lawyer. At Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C., we offer free, no-risk consultations as well as contingency fees. You will not owe us a penny in attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. Contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney online or call 414-289-0909 today.