Truck crashes in Homestead and other cities can happen in an instant. One minute, you may be driving on a highway and the next you are involved in a serious collision. Timing can impact truck collisions and claims in other ways, too. Specifically, time is important when you file your claim and when you decide to proceed with your claim.
Filing Quickly is Important
You are not legally obligated to file a legal claim in your trucking collision case quickly—you have until the statute of limitations runs out. However, waiting can weaken your case. There are many reasons why not filing a claim promptly or delaying contacting your insurance company can harm your case:
- Evidence may disappear or may simply weaken over time
- Testimony from bystanders may become less reliable
- Your own memory may become less reliable
- Insurance companies and defense attorneys may claim you we not very seriously injured because you didn’t take action right away
If you are in a truck collision, it is important to contact a truck accident attorney and your insurance company very quickly. This way, your attorney can start gathering documentation at once to protect your rights and your insurer will have proof you reported the crash promptly.
If you decide to file a legal claim, it’s important to file promptly. Doing so shows you’re serious about pursuing your legal rights and can help strengthen your case.
However, while filing quickly is important, trying to resolve your insurance claim very rapidly can backfire. Many people who have been in a truck collision in Homestead or anywhere in South Florida want to resolve their claim quickly.
This can be a mistake.
The reality is that resolving your claim quickly can harm your case in a few ways:
- You may discover you are more injured than you initially thought. Sometimes, it can take multiple doctor’s visits to see a specialist or to get a full, correct diagnosis of your condition. Some conditions, including soft tissue injuries, may not even create any symptoms right away. If you accept the first offer your insurance company males and later find out you are more injured than you initially thought, you may have little or no recourse for getting additional compensation for the injuries you discover.
- Your treatment may change with time. Your doctors will make treatment recommendations based on their initial prognosis. However, your treatment may change if you develop any complications or if the understanding of your diagnosis changes. If you accept an offer from your insurer thinking your treatment will be straightforward and then develop an infection or complication, necessitating more complex and expensive treatment, you may not be able to get compensation for the more complex treatment.
- You may not have time to carefully consider the future costs of your injury. An injury can end up costing more than you think. You may be out of work for longer than you expect or you may face complications or more expensive treatments. Years from now, an injury may flare up again or may require follow-up treatment. Before accepting an insurance offer or a settlement, it is important to speak to a truck accident attorney to determine whether the full cost of your injury is covered.
If you have been injured in a trucking collision anywhere in South Florida, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation.