Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes from filing an insurance claim all the way to an auto accident settlement? With city street crashes, time is critical. Seeking prompt medical care and notifying your insurance provider is key. But there are steps to take after that.
The process of filing an insurance claim and ultimately collecting an auto accident settlement can be long, confusing, and full of costly pitfalls. Take the wrong step and your settlement could be drastically reduced… or denied altogether.
Don’t get burnt by tricky insurance adjusters.
This comprehensive guide will break down everything there is to know about car accident settlements after a city street crash.
Table of Contents
- What To Do Right After the Accident
- How Does the Insurance Claim Process Work?
- When Should You Get Legal Assistance?
- Factors That Impact the Auto Accident Settlement Value
- Timeline for Accident Injury Settlements
- Final Thoughts
What To Do Right After the Accident
In the immediate aftermath of your crash, there are certain steps you should take. First and foremost, call 911 if you haven’t already. Request a police presence and file a formal report.
After that, check into a local hospital and let the professionals take care of you. Even if you don’t think you’re hurt, seek medical attention. Internal injuries like whiplash may not reveal themselves until later.
Once you’ve exchanged information with the other driver and notified your insurance company, document as much as you can. Take pictures of the scene, your injuries, and the damage to all vehicles involved.
Finally, don’t apologize for the accident. Even if you think you’re at fault, it doesn’t matter at this stage. Whatever you say to the other driver can be used to lower your settlement.
How Does the Insurance Claim Process Work?
In basic terms, there are two types of insurance claims:
- First-party claims – Filed through your own insurance company.
- Third-party claims – Filed against the other driver’s insurance provider.
Simple enough, right? Here’s the kicker.
Insurance companies don’t care about you. Their adjusters work for the insurance company, not you. While they may sympathize with your plight, their job is to settle claims as inexpensively as possible.
They will pore over every detail you’ve given them looking for holes in your story. Social media posts, recorded phone calls, text messages, employment history, and prior medical bills become fair game.
Insurance companies will also likely reach out within the first couple weeks of the accident to see if you’ll accept an early settlement offer.
As noted earlier about not apologizing for the accident — the same rules apply here.
Don’t accept their first offer without speaking to an attorney.
Yes, you read that correctly. Insurance companies know this process inside and out. They know most people don’t have legal representation and will low-ball the first offer. Once you accept that settlement, you can’t dispute it later if you find out your injuries are worse than originally thought.
When Should You Get Legal Assistance?
While you don’t necessarily need legal representation to file an insurance claim, you should strongly consider it.
As mentioned above, having an experienced Minneapolis car accident attorney in Minneapolis on your side can be the difference between a fair settlement and getting low-balled by insurance companies.
An attorney can negotiate with insurance adjusters on your behalf, collect vital evidence, and ensure your rights are protected every step of the way. Best of all, most firms offer a FREE consultation so you really have nothing to lose.
When should you contact an attorney?
If your injuries are severe, or if there is any dispute over who was at fault, it’s almost always a good idea to at least consult with an attorney. When injuries require surgery or result in a permanent disability, legal representation can be invaluable.
Some other scenarios where you may want legal assistance:
- The other driver refuses to accept responsibility.
- There is more than one vehicle/party involved.
- Your insurer is dragging their feet on your claim.
Without legal advice, many people accept settlements that are well below what they should be receiving. Insurance companies have teams of adjusters working for them. You should too.
Factors That Impact the Auto Accident Settlement Value
There are several factors that play into how much you can claim in an auto accident settlement. Here’s a brief rundown of what those are:
Medical Bills
All current and future medical expenses that arise due to the accident are billable. Hospital stays, medical procedures, medications, physical therapy, lost wages, etc. all factor into your settlement.
Lost Wages
If you had to take time off work to recover or cannot return to work due to a permanent disability, these losses can also be factored into your settlement.
Damage to Property
The cost to repair or replace your vehicle will come out of your settlement. Other damaged property could include phones, cameras, clothing, glasses, etc.
Pain and Suffering
This category can include physical pain as well as emotional trauma suffered due to the accident. While there’s no math formula to determine these losses, your attorney will typically use a multiplier based on damages.
Percentage of Fault
If you’re found to be partially at fault for causing the accident, your settlement could be reduced. Every state handles this differently, though. An attorney can advise you on local laws.
So how much can you actually expect to receive?
Honestly, it varies.
Nationwide, the average car accident injury settlement was $30,416 as of February 2026. That being said, not all accidents are created equal. Severe injuries resulting in wrongful death or permanent disability can lead to settlements of $100,000 or more.
Timeline for Accident Injury Settlements
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that every case is different. Simple rear-end accidents are often wrapped up in a matter of months. More complex cases can take well over a year to resolve.
- Immediately after: File a police report and see a doctor.
- Weeks 1–4: The claim will be investigated and medical treatment will begin.
- 1–3 Months: Continue with treatment. Early settlement offers may also start arriving.
- 3–12+ Months: Negotiations continue, legal action may be initiated, and a final settlement is agreed upon.
Remember…
Rushing the process is the number one mistake you can make. Most attorneys will advise waiting until reaching what is known as “maximum medical improvement” or MMI.
This just means recovery has plateaued and the extent of injuries can be properly assessed. Settling before reaching MMI could leave you paying out of pocket for future treatments.
Final Thoughts
Suffering an accident on a city street is bad enough.
Dealing with insurance companies and attorneys afterwards shouldn’t have to be. The key to a successful auto accident settlement is knowing what to do…and when to do it.
Quick recap:
Immediately after:
- Seek medical attention.
- File a police report.
Within a few weeks:
- Document everything.
- Don’t apologize for the accident.
- Consult with an attorney.
Months down the line:
- Let your treatment play out before agreeing to a settlement.
Follow these steps, and you’ll be in a great position to get the compensation you deserve… not just the first amount offered to you.