Property Damage and Insurance Claims in Rhode Island
What to do if you have to file a Property Damage Claim or Insurance Claim
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In the time following your automobile accident, and after obtaining a medical examination for your injuries, there are several items you will need to take care of to protect and insure your rights are upheld.
File an Accident Report
This is not the same as the police report of the accident that you will obtain from the department that responded to the scene. This is a State accident report. It is a document that must be filed within 7 days of the accident with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
You may file in Rhode Island online at http://www.dmv.state.ri.us/accidents/ or visit your local branch for a form and file it in person. You will need a copy of the police accident report, or the information that you gathered at the accident scene including the name, address, and insurance information for any other parties involved in the accident, any witnesses’ names, address and phone numbers, and a good description of how the accident happened including any injuries you or your passengers may have sustained.
File Your Insurance Claim
What you will need:
- Accident report
- Your insurance and vehicle information
- The other party’s insurance and vehicle information
- The details of the accident and how it happened
- Any damages to your vehicle
- Any injuries you your passengers or yourself
Most insurance companies have claim filing available either online or by the telephone for convenience. Online forms will require you to fill in as much information about the other party as you can, as well as your own information. You may also be asked about your attorney’s information. If you have hired a personal injury attorney to represent your interests, they will most likely handle the aspects of filing your claim with your insurance company for you.
If you do not have an attorney however, you will need to file your claim yourself with the information you have gathered. Your insurance company will investigate, and complete your claim information with their findings. They will send an appraiser to assess the damage to your vehicle, and the other party’s vehicle. If your insurance company determines that the other party was at fault, the claim for damages will not go against your policy, and they will proceed with a settlement with the other insurance company on your behalf.
If at any point you disagree with your insurance company’s decision, do not sign anything until you seek professional legal advice from a reputable personal injury lawyer. You may be entitled to more compensation based upon who was at fault in the accident, the extent of the damage to your vehicle, and the severity of your injuries.
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If you are injured in an automobile accident in the State of Rhode Island you will need to follow a specific procedure to obtain the benefits and reimbursement you deserve for the payment of your medical bills, automotive damages, wage loss, pain and suffering, and other damages that may be available to you.
While many insurance companies would like you to settle your case immediately through them, and often on the spot of the accident, this is not always a good idea. In most cases, immediately following an accident you are confused and possibly in shock, not aware enough to negotiate the best possible agreement between yourself and the insurance company. Additionally, you may have injuries that you are unaware of, and related expenses as well, and settle for a lot less than the accident will ultimately cost you in terms of medical expenses, lost wages and other damages associated with your injuries and the accident.
It is always wise to refrain from accepting any offers made by insurance companies at the scene of the accident. They do not have your best interest in mind and are only there to assure that you do not file a claim and obtain the damages that are yours.
The safest course to follow is to get medical attention immediately following the accident, and follow-up within a week with a reputable, qualified personal injury attorney to discuss what options may be open to you for recovering your losses.
BASICS ABOUT ACCIDENTS AND PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS IN RHODE ISLAND
In the State of Rhode Island, the statute of limitations on a personal injury matter is 3 years. What that means is that from the date you are injured in an auto accident, to the deadline for when you can collect any damages for that accident or injury may not be more than 3 years. This is why a knowledgeable personal injury attorney is a must if you have been injured in a car accident. They will be able to tell you whether you have a situation where you can file a claim for damages against the insurance company or in some cases the other driver as well, and how best to go about pursuing any claim of this nature.
The standard liability limits, or basic minimum insurance coverage, required in RI is $25,000/$50,000. This means that if the driver of the other vehicle is found liable or negligent in the accident, their insurance company will pay up to $25,000 per person injured in your vehicle, but will not exceed $50,000 in total payments for the accident altogether. This basic policy will also cover up to $25,000 in property damage. The choice to include uninsured motorist is left to the consumer, and is often omitted from this basic coverage.
Your medical bills will be paid either by your medical insurance or by the insurance coverage on the other party’s automobile policy. One note however, and a point of contention that most people misunderstand during the personal injury process, is that your medical payments will be paid back, or deducted from any settlement monies you receive by the party that paid them. In some cases, if they are paid by your medical insurance, you will be required to sign a lien stating that they may be named as a payee in any settlement checks.
This $50,000 limit will also be used to cover any wage loss, pain and suffering, mental anguish, or other expenses incurred while recovering from your injury. If your injury is severe however, your attorney may advise you to file a formal lawsuit and proceed to a trial. This will be true especially if the insurance company is unwilling to give you enough to cover your losses.
Contact Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer Macktaz NOW — 401-861-1155
or CLICK
HERE and we
will respond to you as soon as possible.
Contact Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney Macktaz NOW — 401-861-1155
or CLICK
HERE and we
will respond to you as soon as possible.
We represent those injured in a car crash, truck
accident, motorcycle accident, auto
accidents, and other motor vehicle related
accidents.
Major Rhode Island Roadways:
Interstate 95: I-95: I-95 is the main north-south Interstate Highway on America’s east coast. In Rhode Island, I-95 travels from the Connecticut border near Westerly through Warwick and Providence and then on to the Massachusetts border in Pawtucket. Routes I-195 and I-295 (discussed below) are spurs of I-95.
Interstate 195: I-195: Travelling a combined 40.1 miles in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, I-195 leaves its junction with I-95 in Providence then heads east to a junction with I-495 and Route 25 on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod. The section of I-195 in downtown Providence is being replaced. The new route will lie just south of the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier.
Interstate 295: I-295: At a length of just 26.58 miles in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, I-295 is short but vital. From its southern terminus in Warwick, it forms an essential western beltway around Providence before ending to the north in Attleboro, Massachusetts. Plans are underway to supplement I-295 with an eastern beltway around Providence.
Other roadways where accidents typically happen in Rhode Island: Route 44, Route 6, Route 24, Route 1, Route 138, and Route 4
Rhode Island Counties
Bristol – Kent – Newport – Providence – Washington
DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent legal counsel for advice on any legal matter. Also, the Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any field of practice. |
