It is scary how quickly lives can be changed forever by a Louisville auto accident.  Someone who dies in an auto crash may have family likely able make a wrongful death claim against the insurance companies for the fault of responsible parties. Defendants in a car accident may try to defend by saying that the person who died assumed some risk or contributed to the injuries.

Resolving a car accident claim may take several months and sometimes years.  A claim usually begins with a demand letter to the responsible parties’ insurance companies or the responsible parties themselves.  Usually a demand letter cannot be written until all the damages such as medical expenses are assessed.

Elements of a Demand Letter

A demand letter demands that the insurance company or responsible party pay for the damages caused by the accident. There are several components to a demand letter that if not included could make it difficult to receive payment.

The first paragraph of the demand letter usually involves identifying the accident.  Insurance adjusters handle several accident claims at the same time so a plaintiff has to make his/her case stand out.  A demand letter must specify the accident and involved parties. If a police report was created at the time of the accident, include its number for easy reference.

The next paragraph should state the damages the plaintiff suffered.  It is not necessary to be overly specific because everything written and said after an accident will be scrutinized.  If someone says something early on in a case, and then remembers something different later on, even if the later story is true, the person’s credibility may be attacked.  Just make a general statement of the damages such as the cost of fixing a car, or the areas of the body hurt, and the amount of medical bills accrued.

Make the demand of repayment needed to make the injured party whole, and that the cause of these expenses was the auto accident. Do not be ambiguous about the exact amount of compensation sought.  Put a response date to show an answer or acknowledgement of receipt of the letter is necessary.

Those injured in a Kentucky car wreck may be looking at months, or years of recovery for personal injuries. Losing a loved one from a car crash can be a life-changing tragedy that requires the assistance of Kentucky personal injury attorneys for full justice. Contact our office today for a free consultation of how we can help you and your family.