How to Win Your Personal Injury Claim

Web Resources......Page 0
Table of Contents......Page 10
Your Personal Injury Companion......Page 12
1. Handling Your Personal Injury Claim......Page 14
Why You Often Can Handle Your Own Claim......Page 15
When You Might Need a Lawyer......Page 17
2. Whose Fault Is It? How Legal Responsibility Is Determined......Page 22
Basic Rules of Legal Responsibility......Page 23
Liability in Specific Types of Accidents......Page 30
3. Initial Steps in Settling Your Claim......Page 60
The First 72 Hours: Protecting Your Rights......Page 61
Getting a Claim Started......Page 69
Special Rules for Accidents Involving the Government......Page 79
4. Understanding Insurance Coverage......Page 90
Motor Vehicle Insurance......Page 91
Nonvehicle Liability Insurance......Page 106
Your Own Health Coverage and Accident Claims......Page 110
No-Fault Laws: State Summaries......Page 112
5. How Much Is Your Claim for Injuries Worth?......Page 116
The Damages Formula......Page 118
How Injuries Affect Compensation......Page 120
Demonstrating Pain and Suffering......Page 125
Lost Income......Page 130
Arriving at a Final Compensation Value......Page 131
Examples of How Much Different Claims Are Worth......Page 135
6. Processing Your Claim......Page 142
Collecting Information......Page 143
Preparing a Demand Letter......Page 154
Sample Demand Letters......Page 161
7. Property Damage Claims......Page 180
What Type of Claim to File......Page 181
Amount of Compensation......Page 185
Processing Your Claim......Page 186
Negotiating a Settlement Amount......Page 189
8. Negotiating a Settlement......Page 196
Adjusters: Who They Are and How They Work......Page 197
How the Negotiation Process Works......Page 199
What to Do When You Can’t Get a Settlement......Page 215
State Statutes of Limitations......Page 226
9. Finalizing Your Settlement......Page 230
Confirming the Offer and Acceptance......Page 231
Formal Settlement Document......Page 232
What to Do If the Check Doesn’t Arrive......Page 233
Liens on Your Settlement Money......Page 235
Taxes on Your Settlement Money......Page 237
10. The Last Resorts: Lawyers, Arbitration, and Courts......Page 238
Small Claims Court......Page 239
Arbitration......Page 248
11. Working With a Lawyer......Page 258
Reasons to Use a Lawyer......Page 259
Finding the Right Lawyer......Page 260
Paying the Lawyer......Page 264
Managing Your Lawyer......Page 269
Trial......Page 272
Appendix. Accident Claim Worksheet......Page 274
Index......Page 282
Related Products......Page 303