A car accident demand letter is a letter where the injured claimant sets out circumstances and facts of the accident so that he can receive a monetary settlement based on the damages that have occurred. A well-drafted letter should involve constructive negotiations that yield a solution for the injury claim.
What to include?
You need to understand the particulars that should be included in the letter to make it purposeful. The following are what you need to include in your letter:-
- The letter should address real-time and tangible facts about what happened during the incident. The information provided should be justified able even by a third party to ensure you didn’t provide false information.
- You should also draft the list of expenditures that you used for your treatment and recovering the property loss. Ensure that you have a complete record of medical receipts for the treatment and repair bills to validate your claim.
- You should also explain why the parties that were responsible for the accident should be held liable for the damage that has been caused.
- You should provide supporting documents from witnesses to include them in law enforces agencies reports.
Supporting Documents
Along with the letter, you might have to attach all the supporting documents to validate your claim. It is advised to take at least four copies of these documents. One for you, second for insurance company, third for law enforcement agencies and fourth for the second party involved in the accident.
Provide the details of the accident
Besides the letter, you need to provide an account of what happened before, during the accident, and after. It should also capture any vital information that will validate that you were a non-participant during the accident. Therefore, you might have to provide the speed, the direction of travel, and any information on who might have caused the accident.
Give the injuries sustained and medical receipts
You should give a full list of the injuries that you got from the accident and support the medical bills for the treatment with the receipts.
The cost of total demand
You should provide the cost of total demand after doing calculations on medical costs, vehicle damage, and absentia from work on a detailed sheet. Besides, if you lost any property during the incident, you should also include in the total cost demand. After that, you should attach any receipts, bills, salary verification letters, and any supporting documents that can validate your claim.
Make sure you have attached everything
After drafting the letter and attaching all the supporting documents, it is wise to contact the insurance company and check the local state laws to make sure that you have attached all documents to process the claim. It will help you in shortening the processing time.
How to get paid?
After completing your letter, a legal counsel should first examine it to ensure all the necessary evidence has been captured in the letter, and all supporting documents are attached. Thereafter, you can send it to an appropriate insurance company or the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident.
Sample Demand letter
Jean Brown
765 Octavia Street, Apt. #4
Chicago, IL 00000
January 30, 20XX
Pro-Life Insurance Company
1000 Throughway Boulevard
Chicago, IL 00000
Re: Car accident
Claimant: Jean Brown
Claim No.: 93-8822 TX
Date of Loss: January 30, 20XX
Dear Mr. Graham:
I was involved in an accident with your vehicle on January 30, 20XX, along the intersection lane at Wayne Street, Chicago. I was traveling towards the east side on the lane when your vehicle came through a stop sign and smashed my car behind the driver seat, which I can say I barely survived. The impact spun my car left it facing west, which almost overturned. I have filed a report with the police, and I have enclosed some photos to illustrate the extent of the damage.
The driver was over -speeding and could not even notice the stop sign, and the witness who was in the scene also made a remark on over-speeding that led to the accident. An ambulance responded quickly to the situation, and I was taken to the Mediheal hospital. An x-ray was done, and it was established that I had a dislocation on my elbow, stiffness on the neck, and back pains. I was attended by a physician Dr. Luiz Matines who recommended that I should receive further treatment because I was developing some inflammation around the spine.
I stayed in the hospital for four days, and when I was discharged, I could not go to work because I was still feeling some pain and general fatigue. I started my therapy sessions at the nearest clinic, Ray of hope clinic, for 5 weeks. When the period elapsed, I went back to Dr. Martinez for further examinations. He made a recommendation that I should have bed rest for the next three months
The medical specials for my treatment are as follows:
A-One Ambulance Co. $750
Mediheal Hospital $1,520
Luiz Matinez, M.D. $2,200
Loop Radiology Group $510
Ray of hope clinic; Physical Therapy $1,370
Prescription medication $125
Total $6475
As a result of the accident, I missed a total of 10 working days as a secretary to the Brook house company. My monthly salary is $4700
Therefore, Because of unlawful driving that almost claimed my life, the continuing pain, the damages on my car, and the long periods of treatment, I demand $12,000 for the damage incurred.
I look forward to your prompt reply on this matter.
Yours truly,
[Signature]
Jean Brown
Car Accident Demand Letter (Word Format)
- MS Word
FAQs
After the letter has been sent to your attorney or any responsible party, then you should expect settlement anywhere between a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the damage incurred.
The average cost of the settlement that is usually made is between $14000-$28000.You can also be paid more depending on the extent of the damage.
Normally, when the letter is sent to the insurance company, they are likely to reject the values provided and come up with their values. So it is up to your attorney to negotiate for adjustments or accept it within the timeline provided for settlement.
A reasonable settlement offers should range between $3000-$ 75000.You can also respond to a low settlement offer by reasoning it through drafting a letter.
It is important to know that by sending a letter of demand, you are enforcing your legal rights that the party responsible for the accident should fulfill their obligation. Therefore, if there is no response to the demand letter, you can send a final demand notice, or you can file your claim in a court of law.
