If I got into an accident and I am not at fault, what all is the other insurance company required to pay for?
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If I got into an accident and I am not at fault, what all is the other insurance company required to pay for?
Asked on January 19, 2015 under Accident Law, Illinois
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
You have separate claims for property damage (cost of repairs to your car) and personal injury.
Contact the at-fault party's insurance company to file your claim for property damage.
That insurance company should pay the cost of repairs to your car and provide you with a rental car while your car is being repaired.
If you were injured in the accident, notify the at-fault party's insurance company in writing that you will be filing a personal injury claim.
When you complete your medical treatment and are released by the doctor or are declared by the doctor to be permanent and stationary which means having reached a point in your treatment where no further improvement is anticipated, obtain your medical bills, medical reports, and documentation of any wage loss. Your personal injury claim filed with the at-fault party's insurance carrier should include these items.
Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement. The medical reports will document the nature and extent of your injury and will be used to determine compensation for pain and suffering, which is an amount in addition to the medical bills. Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement.
If the case is settled with the at-fault party's insurance carrier, NO lawsuit is filed.
If you are dissatisfied with settlement offers from the at-fault party's insurance carrier, reject the settlement offers and file a lawsuit for negligence against the at-fault party. If the case is NOT settled with the at-fault party's insurance carrier, your lawsuit for negligence must be filed prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.
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