Louisville is a thriving city along the Ohio River that’s home to the best horseracing in the world, a great college basketball program, and over 600,000 residents. You can sample some bourbon on Whiskey Row or visit Museum Row to see how Louisville Slugger baseball bats are made.
There’s plenty to do and see in Louisville, but getting there can be a bit of a challenge considering the traffic levels you’ll find on almost any major road. Whether you commute to work or class, you’ll likely have to jump on one of the city’s many interstates and parkways. Those routes stay congested and the carelessness of motorists can make travel more than just frustrating.
Travel becomes extremely dangerous when drivers get distracted or a bit reckless around other vehicles. They can end up in your path and cause a devastating crash. Once your injuries are stabilized, you’ll be wondering how to most effectively file a Louisville car accident claim to earn help in recovery.
A Free Case Consultation for Louisville Traffic Accident Victims
After you’ve been in a frightening Louisville car accident, your wellbeing comes first. You should be focused on healing in the aftermath, but unfortunately, insurance companies won’t be eager to pay you what’s fair.
It’s important to start building a strong injury claim from the very start. You’ll need documents that prove what happened and how much you’ve spent in recovery from a serious injury.
There are also deadlines on injury claims and protections you’ll need to explore when dealing with other drivers and their insurance providers. There’s an easy way to get a handle on everything you must know to earn compensation. Contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, a Louisville law firm, for a free, no-obligation case consultation.
Alerting your Kentucky Insurance Company
The first step to take in the aftermath of a Louisville traffic accident is to pick up the phone. Whether an accident is your fault or it’s the fault of another driver, your insurance representative should be alerted.
Your insurance company should hear about what happened from you first. If other drivers attempt to point the finger of blame at you, they may call your insurance representative or have their insurance provider call yours.
On the scene of the accident, the investigating officer with Louisville Metro Police or the Kentucky State Police will hopefully provide you with insurance information of other drivers. You may also have swapped information with the other drivers involved.
When you feel you were the victim in an accident, you’ll want to call their insurance companies to begin the claims process. It’s possible the other drivers won’t even alert their own insurers they’ve been in a collision.
How Does No-Fault Insurance in Kentucky Affect My Case?
Kentucky is a “choice no-fault” insurance state. The “choice” allows drivers to instead go with a traditional car insurance policy if they desire. Most drivers you encounter in Louisville will carry a no-fault policy.
This means that in most minor incidents, drivers with no-fault insurance will file accident claims with their own providers regardless of who was at fault.
However, when serious injuries are involved, no-fault insurance rules won’t apply. When your medical bills total more than $1,000 in Kentucky, you are permitted to file a claim against an at-fault driver and seek financial support.
Many people think that when they deal with their personal insurance agent, they’ll automatically get fair treatment and everything they need in compensation. This is not true. When you file a claim with your insurance company, you’ll still be battling common insurance tactics to try to get you out the door with as little financial support as possible.
You’ll still need a personal injury lawyer working for your best interests when requesting compensation from your insurance agency. If you don’t, you may find you’re paying for more than half of your hospital bills out of your own pocket.
Do I need a Car Accident Lawyer After a Louisville Collision?
After a collision on a Louisville street, highway, or interstate, you may wonder if you need a personal injury lawyer? The answer depends on the circumstances surrounding your accident.
If your accident is a property-damage only accident and/or only involves very minor injuries, you may not require the help of an attorney. Getting money to repair your car or replace it should be a fairly standard procedure.
However, if any of these details are true of your crash, you should speak to a Louisville personal injury lawyer so you don’t miss out on certain benefits:
- Your crash involves a serious injury.
- An insurance company or another driver attempts to falsely blame you for the collision.
- Your collision involves multiple cars and drivers.
- If you’ve been in an accident caused by a government employee or it involves a professional driver like a truck driver or a rideshare employee.
What to Remember When Speaking to Car Insurance Companies
Third-party insurance companies working for other policyholders will call you after an accident seeking a recorded statement. You aren’t legally obligated to give this statement and you should refuse. Insurance reps hope they’ll record you saying something they can twist to weaken your case.
Don’t admit fault or discuss the seriousness of your injuries with other drivers or their insurance representatives. You won’t likely know the full extent of your injuries and from your limited perspective, you may not fully know what led to your accident. Allow your attorney to determine just who was at fault.
It’s best to let a skilled Kentucky Car Accident Lawyer handle all communications with other lawyers and insurance companies. Your personal injury lawyer protects your interests and this means less frustration for you.
Reporting Your Accident to Kentucky Law Enforcement
If your accident was responded to by an officer of the law, the investigator will be filing an accident report for you. When there isn’t a police response to your crash you may have to file a report on your own.
The Kentucky State Police requires anyone involved in an accident that isn’t investigated by an officer that results in any property damage exceeding $500 to report it online. You have 10 days from the date of the accident to fill out an online collision report. The Kentucky State Police no longer accept paper submissions for accident reports. Make a copy of the report for yourself when you submit it.
The $500 damage limit applies to your car. If you think your damages will exceed this limit, you must file a report or face a fine.
What Your Kentucky Insurance Provider Owes You
In Kentucky, paying your insurance premiums each month means your insurance provider is responsible for acting in “good faith.” They must take action that is in your best interest after a Louisville accident. They should make you aware of every benefit you are owed, even if that benefit is buried in the fine print of your insurance contract.
Your contract holds them liable to provide compensation to pay for injuries to you or someone else. When you are responsible for an accident, your provider shouldn’t leave you to pay the medical bills of the victims involved. You pay insurance to protect yourself from financial harm in such a situation.
Insurance companies must also pay for legal defense when another insurer is trying to hold you liable for an accident you didn’t cause. They are required to fully investigate your accident so no one can take advantage of you and falsely represent what happened.
After you File a Louisville Car Accident Insurance Claim
After you’ve filed a claim over a Louisville car accident you should get notification that the insurance company has received it within 15 days. Kentucky doesn’t set a guideline for how long insurers may take to decide if they’ll approve a claim, but it must be done in a reasonable amount of time.
Once you are alerted of approval, Kentucky law holds the insurance company responsible for paying that claim within 45 days.
Insurance companies will be looking for any excuse to reject your claim or provide you with far less than what you need to recover physically, emotionally, and financially. If you feel your insurance company isn’t treating you fairly or meeting its legal responsibilities, speak to a skilled Louisville car accident about your options.
Contact a Louisville Car Accident Lawyer
The bottom line is that when serious injuries are involved, never let an insurance company decide what you should receive in support.
Contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, for a free case evaluation that comes with no obligation to you. You’ll find out how to best file your claim to earn the maximum compensation available. You’ll also know what to do when an insurance adjuster suddenly wants to hold you responsible for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
At Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, we safeguard our clients’ interests. We want victims and their families free to focus on recovery and rebuilding their lives.
Trust your injury recovery to a Louisville law firm with an extensive history of successfully fighting for the benefit of local victims and their families.
