How to win your personal injury claim

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Where to find it

Law Library — 2nd Floor Collection (2nd floor)

Call Number
KF1257 .M38 2015
Status
Available

Authors, etc.

Names:

Summary

After your injury: Settle your claim the right way

When you_ve been hurt in an accident, dealing with insurance companies and lawyers can feel exhausting. But armed with the right information, you can handle a claim yourself_and save many thousands of dollars in the process.

How to Win Your Personal Injury Claim shows you how to handle almost any accident situation and guides you through the insurance claim process, step by step. Learn how to:

protect your rights after an accident
determine what your claim is worth
deal with uncooperative doctors and insurance companies
counter the special tactics insurance companies use
prepare a claim for compensation
negotiate a full and fair settlement
stay on top of your case if you hire a lawyer

This completely updated edition of How to Win Your Personal Injury Claim provides your state_s most recent laws, including small claims court limits and lawsuit filing deadlines.

Contents

  • Your Personal Injury Companion p. 1
  • Automobile, Cycle, or Pedestrian Accidents p. 3
  • Slip or Trip and Fall Accidents p. 3
  • Home Accidents p. 3
  • Miscellaneous Accidents p. 3
  • 1 Handling Your Personal Injury Claim p. 5
  • Why You Often Can Handle Your Own Claim p. 8
  • When You Might Need a Lawyer p. 9
  • 2 Whose Fault Is It? How Legal Responsibility Is Determined p. 15
  • Basic Rules of Legal Responsibility p. 16
  • Liability in Specific Types of Accidents p. 27
  • 3 Initial Steps in Settling Your Claim p. 73
  • The First 72 Hours: Protecting Your Rights p. 74
  • Getting a Claim Started p. 86
  • Special Rules for Accidents Involving the Government p. 104
  • 4 Understanding Insurance Coverage p. 117
  • Motor Vehicle Insurance p. 119
  • Nonvehicle Liability Insurance p. 143
  • Your Own Health Coverage and Accident Claims p. 147
  • No-Fault Laws: State Summaries p. 151
  • 5 How Much Is Your Claim for Injuries Worth? p. 155
  • The Damages Formula p. 158
  • How injuries Affect Compensation p. 161
  • Demonstrating Pain and Suffering p. 169
  • Lost Income p. 178
  • Property Damage p. 179
  • Arriving at a Final Compensation Value p. 180
  • Examples of How Much Different Claims Are Worth p. 185
  • 6 Processing Your Claim p. 195
  • Collecting Information p. 196
  • Preparinga Demand Letter p. 213
  • Sample Demand Letters p. 225
  • 7 Property Damage Claims p. 247
  • What Type of Claim to File p. 248
  • Amount of Compensation p. 254
  • Processing Your Claim p. 256
  • Negotiating a Settlement Amount p. 261
  • 8 Negotiating a Settlement p. 269
  • Adjusters: Who They Are and How They Work p. 270
  • How the Negotiation Process Works p. 273
  • Conducting Negotiations p. 276
  • The Subjects of Negotiations With an Adjuster p. 283
  • What to Do When You Can't Get a Settlement p. 301
  • State Statutes of Limitations p. 316
  • 9 Finalizing Your Settlement p. 319
  • Confirming the Offer and Acceptance p. 320
  • Formal Settlement Document p. 320
  • What to Do If the Check Doesn't Arrive p. 324
  • Liens on Your Settlement Money p. 327
  • Taxes on Your Settlement Money p. 330
  • 10 The Last Resorts: Lawyers, Arbitration, and Courts p. 331
  • Small Claims Court p. 332
  • Arbitration p. 346
  • 11 Working With a Lawyer p. 363
  • Reasons to Use a Lawyer p. 364
  • Finding the Right Lawyer p. 367
  • Paying the Lawyer p. 373
  • Managing Your Lawyer p. 380
  • Trial p. 385
  • Appendix: Accident Claim Worksheet p. 387
  • Index p. 395

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