If someone's negligence has resulted in you being in an accident and suffering a personal injury, then you need to know that you have a legal right to file a compensation claim. Compensation is a set sum of money awarded to a victim for the resulting damages and losses they've suffered from an injury. The specific amount of this compensation is usually negotiated and agreed upon between the insurance company, lawyers and the victim.

Filing your claim with your insurance company is the first step in getting your personal injury claim started. The insurer will investigate and assess the circumstances surrounding the accident to determine if a third party was at fault. You'll be offered a settlement sum if the insurer does decide that a third party was at fault.

You aren’t obligated to accept the insurer’s offer of compensation, and you certainly shouldn’t accept it if you think it's unfair. Keep in mind that most insurers have teams of experts working to ensure the company pays out as little as possible. Your initial offer will most likely be significantly lower than the expenses you’ve incurred. This is why it’s often prudent to seek the experience and knowledge of a personal injury lawyer.

A personal injury lawyer will be able to guide you through the process, help you file your claim and understand obscure insurance lingo, and ensure your claim is addressed in a prompt and fair manner. Your lawyer will also be the one to directly communicate with the insurance company so that you don't harm your claim by agreeing to something that you don't fully understand.

You'll need to support your claim by providing conclusive evidence that another party’s negligence caused your accident and injury. Such evidence may be anything from police, medical, and accident reports to photographs and testimony from witnesses. Your lawyer will tell you what supporting evidence you need and help you collect it.

Once your lawyer provides the insurer with evidence proving your version of the events are correct, the insurer can assess the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries to make a fair settlement offer. Your lawyer will present this offer to you and advise you whether it’s fair or should be renegotiated. If renegotiating fails, you and your lawyer may decide to bring your claim to trial.

In closing, some statistics have shown that unrepresented claimants are more likely to receive an unfair, lower settlement for the damages they’ve incurred. This can be from the unrepresented claimant succumbing to the pressure an insurer puts on them to settle, not fully understanding their legal rights, or simply not understanding what constitutes “fair” in relation to their injuries. That’s why it’s always important to make sure you have an attorney represent you while discussing possible settlements.