So you were injured in a car wreck and now you don't know what the next step is.  Filing a car accident injury claim is the next step and helps you get the compensation you need to get back on your feet and your life back in order.  The purpose of this Hub is to show you what you need to do to get your claim submitted and get the most compensation possible.  I won't show you how to cheat the system to scam more money, but through detailed record keeping and seeking out second and third opinions. 

If you are mixed up in a very complex case of figuring out who is at fault, or if the damages were extreme it may be a good idea to hire an injury attorney to help you navigate the legal sea.  The will fight on your behalf to get the most money possible.  Attorneys are extremely effective when it comes to eeking out every last dme from a case because it means more money in their pockets.  They will do most of the work to file your car crash claim.  Usually you answer some questions, sign some papers, then sign the check when everything is over with.  It's a pretty sweet deal, but expect them to charge a handsome amount for their services (it's between 30-40% here in California).

Directly after your crash you have to be in contact with your insurance company.  I'm sure that you've already done this, but it's a critical step in the process.  They need to know what happened and the circumstances that led up to it.  Usually, the insurance company will track down all of the police and medical records that involve you, but you still need to keep track of everything yourself (more on that below).  They will send out an adjuster to inspect your vehicle and you to see how everything is going and will discuss with you what your options are in pursuing your traffic accident claim.  If you have an automobile accident attorney, the insurance company will usually deal directly with them.

There are a few steps that you can take to maximize your accident compensation claim.  The first and most important is to take copious notes of everything that happens.  Get copies of any medical records, police notes, and especially anything that you have to sign.  The more evidence that you have on hand, the more backing you have when it's time to file your claim.

Getting second and third opinions for everything will also help you get the most from your car accident compensation claim, and get you the best medical treatment.  If your doctor has a plan of treatment for your injuries, feel free to ask to get a second opinion.  The second doctor may see something that the other doctor missed, or be able to offer more comfortable service.  This is your health, so be sure to take care of every aspect of this injury while you are being compensated for it.  If not, you'll be stuck using your own insurance later on to get the long-term pain taken care of.  Also, be sure to get second opinions on any damage estimates on your car or on the value of your totaled car.  The other insurance company will have their own claims adjuster evaluate these things, so the higher dollar value that you can get for the estimates will allow you more leverage to negotiate with on a final total.

When it finally comes time to file your claim, this is a great time to have legal help.  You are going to submit all expenses that were incurred to get your life back together.  Some of the damages are hard to put a dollar value on, such as grief.  An experienced attorney can guide you through this.  

If you took notes and kept records of everything that happened throughout the process, filing the claim should be pretty easy.  You outline all of your expenses and damages and submit them to the insurance company.