According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, there were 60,473 traffic crashes within the state of Kansas in 2015. Although a relatively small city, Hutchinson, Kansas, certainly sees its share of auto accidents, and unfortunately, most people will be in several traffic crashes during their lifetime. For this reason, it’s a good idea to know how auto accident claims work. [videosingle id="20532" width="100%" height="400" rel="false" /] Auto accident attorney, Mike Wyatt of the Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys law firm, explains the overall process:
- Communication with Your Insurance Company The overall claim process begins with your insurance company, which is also called first-party insurance. In Hutchinson and the rest of Kansas, benefits you could receive from the first-party insurance company are referred to as Personal Injury Protection benefits. Such benefits will likely cover your lost wages and medical expenses.
- Communication with the Third-party Insurance Company The next step is to make a claim with the insurance company of the third-party or the person who caused the accident. Usually the third-party insurance company or the claims adjuster will call you to take a statement or start the process.
- Follow-up Treatment It’s important to seek the follow-up medical treatment you need after your auto accident injury.
- Bring the Claim to the Insurance Company Once your claim is filed, you can potentially resolve the case prior to litigation. According to Wyatt, most cases are resolved without a lawsuit. “In our practice, less than 15 percent of the cases go to a lawsuit,” he said. “Of the cases that do go to a lawsuit, less than 1 percent go to a jury trial.”