Following your involvement in a motor vehicle collision, your brain will likely be flooded with questions about what is going to happen next. Hopefully, you haven’t been too severely injured. For one, that is obviously going to be preferable for you and your health and your future, but it will also make things a little easier when it comes to dealing with your auto insurance company, since negotiations will be limited to the extent of damages done to all involved vehicles. However, auto accidents can leave the driver and even the passengers with a myriad of injuries, which can range from a few bruises to traumatic brain injuries.
Declaring Liability
On the basis of witness testimony, police reports, road conditions, vehicle damages, speed, and other evidence, the involved insurance companies will determine who to hold liable for the collision. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that one person is wholly to blame, but rather that damage will be split between involved parties.This split will be represented in percentages, meaning that maybe one parts is 60% to blame and the other 40%, but of course, it can also happen that one party is 100% to blame, which would mean the 0% party will not experience any negative impact on their auto insurance rates.
Damages
Following an accident in which you were injured as the result of another party’s negligence, you will be eligible to sue the liable driver for damages. There are two main categories to these damages: pecuniary and non-pecuniary. Included in these are general damages which are granted to compensate for any pain and suffering that was inflicted upon you, the plaintiff.
The requirement for being granted such damages is that you have evidence to back your claims and support your case. Such evidence mostly takes on the form of detailed medical reports provided by your physician, in addition to photographic evidence, and the police report. It is best to let the injury lawyer in Lindsay handle these aspects are they are proficient in drafting a case and know what is needed.
In Ontario, when a driver is accused of causing an accident through negligence, it is upon the insurance company to act as the defense for their client. For you as the plaintiff, this means that you will have to deal to deal, not with the driver, but the driver’s insurance company.
Settlement
Most motor vehicle collision cases will be settled before they ever make it to trial. Negotiations and mediation between the involved parties will commonly be enough to come to an agreement. A personal injury lawyer will ensure that you obtain sufficient compensation for your losses.