You are fortunate if a car accident is minor, but many crashes involve significant injury or damage. The costs afterwards may be too much for you to handle. Luckily, you can seek compensation for these bills but you need to do it correctly or you could lose out on the payment you deserve. Here is an overview of filing an accident claim in Montana.
Fault and time limits
In Montana, fault matters when it comes to claims. You can only file to cover damages if you were at 50% fault or less. If you are filing for property damage, you have two years to do so. You have three years if you are pursuing a personal injury claim.
Who do I file against?
Technically, you have three choices. You can file a claim with your own insurer, with the other driver’s insurance company or against the other driver. Generally, you will be filing a claim with an insurance company. You need to be careful about how you handle this though.
Even if it is your own insurance company, they do not want to have to compensate you. They have many strategies to avoid your claim. They may keep delaying the claim or offer a settlement that is far lower than you need or deserve. You should always talk to an attorney before speaking with an insurance company. An attorney will know about these tactics and will help you get the settlement you deserve.
What will a claim cover?
Just one car accident could devastate the whole family. You may be dealing with serious or lasting injuries, lack of transportation and the stress and anguish of trying to recover and get the family back on its feet.
Pursuing a claim can compensate you for:
· Medical bills
· Car damages
· Missed work time
· Pain and suffering
Bills can amass quickly after a crash. Consider talking to an experienced attorney about your options and how to successfully pursue compensation.
