If your vehicle suffered frame damage in a crash, that is an expensive repair. Depending on the make and model of the vehicle, along with its value, it might be considered a total loss.
A total loss means that the car isn’t worth as much as it would cost to repair it. In these kinds of situations, you should gather supporting evidence for a successful personal injury claim.
Here are five things to do if your frame was damaged in a crash.
1. You should call the police. You will need to stay on the accident scene until the officer arrives. An accident report is very beneficial to a personal injury claim for an accident that involves frame damage. Be sure to give the officer your statement and only include facts about the case. Be sure the officer is aware of the extent of damages and injuries that resulted from the crash.
2. Check to see if there are any witnesses. Corroborating witnesses can help win a personal injury claim for an accident that caused frame damage. To boost your claim’s success, ask around to see if anyone saw the accident. Make sure they write what they saw in detail. Ask them to also include their name and contact details. Make sure the officer is aware of the witnesses to the crash as well.
3. Take Pictures of the Scene. Be sure you use your smartphone to photograph the accident scene and the damages. Get photos from all angles, so you can clearly show the point of impact, the location of the vehicle, the weather conditions, and the severity of the damages. Get photos of any visible injuries as well.
4. Check for traffic cameras. Often, vehicles will have dash cameras or there will be traffic cameras or surveillance cameras set up. Any of these cameras could have caught the details of your accident. If you have a video of the crash, that can resolve the matters right there. It would show what happened, how it happened and prove liability for the crash that caused your frame damage.
5. Enlist the help of a personal injury attorney practices in your state. By seeking the help of an accident injury lawyer, the odds of a successful personal injury claim for your accident that caused frame damage will increase drastically. Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, so you will not have any costs upfront. Your lawyer will not get paid until you are compensated for the frame damage from your accident through a judgment or a settlement.
Consult With a Lawyer
If you were in a crash that caused frame damage, you should talk with a personal injury lawyer right away. There is a strict statute of limitations for pursuing a claim and you don’t want to wait until it is too late to recover compensation. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page today to get the process started for filing a claim.
