People who suffer a personal injury often accumulate significant medical debt as well as miss out on income from work. In some cases, a personal injury can also result in severe emotional trauma. Although it may be difficult to focus on legalities in the aftermath of an accident, it's essential to take certain steps to avoid substantial financial losses. In the state of California, you have wo years from the time you experience a personal injury to take the matter to court. However, if the injury involves a claim against a city, county, or state government entity, you must notify them within six months or lose your ability to make a claim. However, you will still have two years to present your case.
Following proper procedure is also important for those desiring to be compensated for their injuries, and this begins with notifying the responsible party after an accident has taken place. Here's what you need to know.
Why You Need to Notify the Responsible Parties After an Accident
The first thing you should do after an accident is to ensure the immediate safety of everyone in your vehicle and seek medical attention even if you or your passengers don't seem to be seriously injured. Vehicle injuries often don't manifest right away, and you and others may fail to feel pain because of the rush of adrenalin involved. If you don't have a personal physician or medical insurance, our legal professionals at Johnson Attorneys Group can help you find a doctor.
You're entitled by law to demand compensation from those at fault if you've been injured in an accident. Notifying those who are liable is a vital first step in successfully pursuing a personal injury claim, so it's important to get it done as quickly as possible. You will need to notify the driver of the other car that was involved in the accident, the owner of that vehicle if different from the driver, the employer of the driver if a company-owned vehicle, your insurance company, and the insurance company of the responsible party or parties. There may also be a government claim if there was an unsafe intersection or street to blame. Cover all of your bases by sending a notification later to anyone who might possibly be at fault — if you leave anyone out, and it is later determined that that person was the cause of the accident, you may have to file a new claim against that person.
How to Notify Responsible Parties After an Accident
It is important to send notification letters as soon as you can to get the legal process off to a proper start and ensure that the incidents are as fresh as possible in your memory. The letter basically lets the other party know that you will be seeking compensation through the courts. It's important to remember not to place blame or discuss fault in the letter — its purpose should be notification only. It should include pertinent information such as the date, your full legal name, your address, and the specifics of the accident such as date, time of day, and location. Include a request for the other driver to contact their insurance company.
Your notification letter should have a professional tone and be free of any major grammatical errors. It is also essential to make copies of the notification letters that you send out. Our California personal injury attorneys at Johnson Attorneys Group can assist you in writing this letter and making sure it goes to the right recipients if you are unsure of how to compose a clear, concise letter yourself.
Contact Johnson Attorneys Group to File a Personal Injury Claim in California
Johnson Attorneys Group has recovered over 100 million dollars in personal injury damages for a broad base of clients for more than a decade. We don't charge a fee if we don't win your case, and we offer a free consultation to anyone who's been injured and wants to explore their options. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-208-3538 or contact us online if you want to learn more about how we can help with your personal injury case.
