blog home Car Accidents Why You Can Still File a Claim If Your Vehicle Wasn’t Damaged

Why You Can Still File a Claim If Your Vehicle Wasn’t Damaged

By Hess & Nghiem on June 21, 2021

If you were in an accident that involved minimal damage to your vehicle, you may think that there is no point in a filing a claim. Most people, after they’ve been in an accident, worry about getting their vehicles repaired, but when there are just a few scratches, they may think there isn’t an issue. However, days to weeks later, you may realize you have back problems, neck pain, or even something as catastrophic as a brain injury.

If you weren’t at fault for the crash, all of these injuries should be covered under the other driver’s liability policy, but getting compensation is harder than you would think. If there was no damage to your vehicle, then an insurance adjuster might deny your claim, saying your injuries are fake or exaggerated. But that doesn’t mean you should give up, as you may still have a valid claim.

Invisible Injuries Take Time to Appear

After a car accident, it is important to get medical treatment as soon as possible, even if you do not think you were hurt. We all worry about obvious injuries during car wrecks, such as broken bones and deep cuts, but there are several invisible injuries that take time to develop, including:

Most of us can easily tell if we are suffering from a broken rib or paralysis following a crash, but the shock and adrenaline of a collision can hide other problems. You may think you are perfectly fine, only to realize you’re in great pain a few days later. In some cases, it may take a friend or family member to tell you that you have a brain injury.

Seeing a doctor after a car accident is the smartest decision you can make. A doctor can check for nerve damage, paralysis, strains or sprains, and brain damage by running the necessary tests and evaluating your symptoms. While you may be worried about paying your medical bills, if another driver injured you, then you are covered under their insurance policy and should receive full compensation for your injuries.

Unfortunately, insurance companies do not see it that way.

An Insurance Adjuster Is Not Your Friend

It is important to remember that insurance companies are for-profit business. They get no benefit from paying out full compensation on every claim, even if it is perfectly valid and covered under the policy. In fact, insurance companies will try to fight every type of claim, no matter how big or small, to keep their profits high.

To this end, they will use every excuse to devalue or deny a claim. Property damage is a completely separate issue from an injury, yet insurance companies like to conflate the two to deny a claim. With fender-benders, insurance adjusters may point to the lack of property damage and say that your injuries are also minor or nonexistent.

How Do I Win Compensation If There Was No Damage to My Vehicle?

Our team at HN Injury Lawyers has worked with many clients who had their initial claims denied because of a lack of property damage – and successfully recovered full compensation for their injuries. No matter the state of your vehicle, if you suffered an injury due to a negligent driver, you have a valid claim.

Collecting evidence is key to winning your personal injury claim. Normally, accident photos can hold a lot of weight in a claim, but if there was minimal damage to your vehicle, then you may need to use other resources. In our experience, accident photos are just one part of the puzzle, and there are several other pieces of evidence that can support your claim, including:

  • Police reports
  • Medical reports that explain your injuries
  • Medical expenses, bills, and prescriptions that support the costs of your injuries
  • Witness statements
  • Accident footage, such as from CCTV cameras
  • Expert testimony from accident reconstructionists

Let HN Injury Lawyers Fight for You

Our team at HN Injury Lawyers can investigate every aspect of your claim to demonstrate that the other driver is at fault for your injuries and that you deserve full compensation for your trauma – visible or invisible. In many cases, we worked with clients who had minimal damage to their vehicles yet suffered traumatic injuries, such as brain damage and spinal cord injuries. Our Santa Ana personal injury lawyers have the skill and expertise to build a strong case for compensation on your behalf. With more than 50 years of combined experience under our belts, we are ready to fight for your future.

If you have been injured due to a negligent driver in Orange County, reach out to HN Injury Lawyers at (657) 333-5726. We work on a contingency-fee basis and offer free consultations, so there is no cost to contact us to discuss your case.

Posted in: Car Accidents

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