How much does it cost to make an injury claim?

If you have been injured in an accident in the state of California, you may be wondering if it is worth it to report the crash to your insurance company. You have probably heard that your premiums will go up if you file a claim.

Although filing an injury claim is free, you should be aware of a few associated expenses.

How much will your insurance rates increase?

In most cases, your insurance premiums will go up after an accident. The amount that it will increase will depend on the state in which you live and the amount of the claim.

Unfortunately, California has the highest rate of post-accident insurance premium increases of any state in the country. A person’s premium will increase by an average of 61% after a claim of $2000 or more in the Golden State. Maryland has the lowest rate increases with an average of just 21%.

Hiring an Attorney

After your insurance company reviews your claim, they will either approve or deny it. If they deny the claim, you may want to consult with an attorney to see if it is worth it to sue them.

If they approve of your claim, they will make you a settlement offer. Their initial offer is unlikely to be as much as your claim is worth. You will want to hire an attorney to negotiate with the company on your behalf before you accept the claim.

 According to personal injury attorneys Maho & Prentice, most personal injury lawyers will work on a contingency basis. They will only take a percentage of the settlement they are able to get you.

If your attorney and the insurance company cannot work out a deal, you may have to go to court, which is where you can incur some serious expenses.

Filing Fees

In California, a person will pay between $30 and $75 to file a case in small claims court. The amount you pay is based on the amount of the claim. If your case goes to a higher court, the fees are likely to be larger and depend on the county where the accident happened.

Your lawyer will continue to negotiate with the insurance company after you file your suit. If they are still unable to work out a deal, you may have to go to court.

Trial Related Expenses

If you go to court and you have a jury trial, you will have to pay a jury fee. You might need an expert witness to testify on your behalf. Fees for such a witness can cost thousands of dollars.

There are going to be some administrative costs to any lawsuit. There may be expenses for copying documents and doing legal research; those expenses are usually fairly nominal.

Fortunately, most accident cases never go to court. A trained attorney should be able to get you a fair settlement. Be sure to select a lawyer who specializes in personal injury and has years of experience in the state of California.

Getting hurt in a crash is painful and time-consuming. However, if you choose the right representation, you will get the money you deserve instead of getting stuck with the bill.


Authoritative Sources:

https://www.sb-court.org/divisions/small-claims

 
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/insurance/auto/how-much-does-your-insurance-go-up-after-an-accident/#:~:text=Insurance%20rate%20effects%20by%20state,-While%20the%20numbers&text=As%20the%20InsuranceQuotes%20study%20noted,Texas%3A%2059.9%25%20increase

https://pixabay.com/photos/dollars-currency-money-us-dollars-499481/ac

This is a guest blog entry.