The Law Office of
Motor Vehicle
When you are injured in a motor vehicle accident due to the negligence (fault) of another, you have the right to bring a claim against that person (s) to get your motor vehicle repaired which is called a property damage claim. You also have the right to bring a claim against that person(s) for your injuries which is called a bodily injury claim.
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Relax.
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Assess the condition of yourself and any passengers in your car.
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Call 911.
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Do not move your vehicle until the police arrive at the scene.
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Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle, the damage to any other vehicle, and the scene in general.
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Speak to the police officer that responds and tell him/her what happened.
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Obtain the contact and insurance information for the person that hit you.
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Obtain from the police officer a form called an “Accident Information Summary” (abbreviated police report).
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Seek medical attention.
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Contact your insurance company and report the accident.
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Call the Law Office of Lori M. Comforti.
The insurance company for the person that hit you is responsible to fix your car. They will send someone out to look at your vehicle and assess the value of the damage. That person will determine if your car should be fixed or, if the damage to your vehicle exceeds the value of the vehicle, the vehicle will be declared a total loss. During this process you should be provided a rental vehicle at their expense. If your vehicle is to be fixed a check will be issued to you or the repair facility and the necessary repairs will be made. If the vehicle is a total loss, a check will be issued for the agreed upon value to pay off any existing car loans and the balance will go to you.
Your medical bills will be paid by Medical Payment Coverage which you may have chosen to purchase as part of your automobile insurance coverage. If you have “med pay” coverage your bills will be paid by that coverage up to whatever limit you purchased. Many people purchase med pay coverage with limits up to $1000 or $5000. If you did not purchase med pay coverage, your private health insurance coverage will pay your medical bills.