11 Expert Tips to Get More Money From a Car Accident Claim

Getting fair compensation after a car accident can be challenging, but there are steps you can take to put the power back in your own hands.

At M. Austin Jackson Injury Lawyers, we’ve seen how specific actions can dramatically increase settlement amounts — from thorough documentation and proper medical care to strategic negotiation and comprehensive damage calculations. Working with an experienced car accident lawyer like M. Austin Jackson can also significantly improve your outcomes because we have the knowledge and resources to properly value your claim and negotiate effectively with insurance companies.

These expert tips come from our extensive experience representing accident victims throughout Georgia and South Carolina. Follow them to maximize your recovery!

Tip #1: Seek Immediate Medical Attention

One of the most critical steps after any accident is getting prompt medical care, even if you believe your injuries are minor. Many serious conditions, including whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries, may not show obvious symptoms immediately but can worsen significantly without treatment.

From a claim perspective, immediate medical attention creates an official record linking your injuries directly to the accident. When you wait days or weeks to see a doctor, insurance companies seize the opportunity to argue:

• Your injuries must not have been serious if you didn’t need immediate care
• Your injuries might have been caused by something else after the accident
• You failed to “mitigate damages” by not seeking prompt treatment

Delayed medical care can significantly weaken your claim and potentially reduce your settlement amount. Seeing a doctor is the best first step after your accident, both for your health and for your claim’s success.

Tip #2: Document Everything Thoroughly

Detailed documentation is the foundation of a strong claim. The more evidence you have, the stronger your negotiating position and the higher your potential settlement.

Effective documentation should include:

1. Accident scene details – Photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signs, and your visible injuries
2. Police reports – Official documentation of the incident
3. Medical records – All diagnoses, treatment plans, and provider notes
4. Witness information – Names and contact details from anyone who saw the accident
5. Communication records – Notes from all conversations with insurance representatives
6. Expense receipts – Everything from medical bills to transportation costs for appointments

Comprehensive documentation can significantly strengthen your claim. In particular, photos or notes showing how your injuries affected your mobility or quality of living can help illustrate the impact of the accident on your life.

Tip #3: Be Careful When Talking to Insurance Adjusters

Conversations with insurance adjusters have more landmines than most people realize. These professionals are trained to extract statements that can be used to devalue your claim.

When speaking with adjusters, avoid:

• Apologizing or accepting any blame
• Talking about your injuries/minimizing your injuries (“I’m fine” or “It’s not that bad”)
• Providing recorded statements without legal representation
• Offering unnecessary details about your activities before or after the accident
• Speculating about facts you’re not certain about

Instead, keep your responses brief, factual, and focused only on necessary information. Better yet, let your personal injury lawyer handle these communications entirely. This simple step often prevents costly mistakes that can significantly reduce your settlement.

Tip #4: Don’t Accept the First Settlement Offer (In fact – talk to a lawyer before accepting anything!)

Insurance companies typically make low initial offers, hoping you’ll accept less than your claim is worth. Their first proposal is rarely their best — it’s simply a starting point for negotiations.

Initial offers are typically calculated using formulas that favor the insurance company, often ignoring important factors specific to your situation. By declining the first offer, you create the opportunity for a significantly higher settlement.

This requires patience, as the negotiation process may extend over several weeks or months. However, your patience will usually pay off. Most experienced attorneys will tell you that final settlements are often substantially higher than initial offers when proper negotiation strategies are employed. Reach out to our team, and we’ll develop strong arguments on your behalf.

Tip #5: Calculate All Your Damages Correctly

Many accident victims focus only on current medical bills and vehicle damage, overlooking several valuable components of their claim. A comprehensive settlement should address all possible damages you’ve incurred.

Economic Damages (The “Tangibles”)

Economic damages are those you can readily quantify.

These include current and future medical expenses, which encompass everything from emergency room visits to ongoing physical therapy. Lost wages must account for both time already missed and reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your previous position. Property damage extends beyond vehicle repair to include personal items damaged in the crash, and could include a diminished value claim.. Additional costs like transportation to medical appointments, medications, medical equipment, home modifications for accessibility, and replacement services such as housekeeping or childcare should all be documented and included.

Non-Economic Damages (The “Intangibles”)

Non-economic damages are harder to calculate but equally important–and potentially more important than economic damages.

Pain and suffering compensation acknowledges the physical discomfort and distress you’ve experienced. Emotional distress accounts for psychological impacts like anxiety, depression, or PTSD resulting from the accident. Loss of enjoyment of life addresses your inability to participate in hobbies and activities you previously enjoyed. In some cases, loss of consortium compensates for impacts on your relationships with family members. Disfigurement, scarring, or permanent disability also warrant additional compensation.

Punitive Damages

In rare cases of extreme negligence (e.g. driving recklessly while drunk), you may be awarded punitive damages by a court. These damages are meant to punish the offender, and they may be a key part of strengthening your claim.

Remember, including all applicable damages in your claim can dramatically increase your settlement amount. Pay particular attention to future costs, as these are often significant but easily overlooked.

Tip #6: Gather Strong Evidence of Fault

Your settlement depends on proving the other party’s liability. The stronger your evidence of fault, the more likely the insurance company will offer fair compensation rather than risk litigation.

Effective evidence of fault includes:

• Police reports identifying traffic violations
• Witness statements supporting your account
• Video footage from traffic cameras, security cameras, or dash cameras
• Expert testimony from accident reconstruction specialists
• Photos showing the position of vehicles and damage patterns
• Photos of skids marks in the roadway or other impact points

In situations with disputed liability, this evidence becomes particularly valuable. When fault is clear and well-documented, insurance companies have far less leverage to reduce your settlement.

Tip #7: Document the Impact on Your Life

Compensation for pain and suffering often constitutes a substantial portion of accident settlements, but these damages can be harder to prove.

Consider keeping a daily “journal” that records your experiences. Document your pain levels and locations throughout recovery, noting any changes or patterns. Record activities you cannot perform or must modify because of your injuries — whether it’s inability to pick up your children, difficulty performing your job, or challenges with basic self-care.

Note emotional challenges like anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances that have developed since the accident. Document missed family events, recreational activities, or social gatherings you’ve had to skip due to your injuries. Also record changes in your relationships, whether with a spouse, children, or friends.

Supplementing this journal with photos or videos showing your limitations can be particularly persuasive. For example, photos of mobility aids you now require, images of visible injuries during various healing stages, or video documentation of your modified daily routines can powerfully demonstrate your suffering. These concrete demonstrations can lead to substantially higher non-economic damage awards by making abstract concepts like “pain and suffering” tangible for both insurance adjusters, opposing lawyers, and jurors.

Tip #8: Understand the Full Extent of Your Injuries

One of the costliest mistakes accident victims make is settling their claims before reaching “maximum medical improvement” (MMI) — the point at which your condition has stabilized and your doctor can reliably predict your future medical needs.

Settling too early risks:

1. Not accounting for unexpected complications
2. Underestimating necessary future treatments
3. Missing subsequent diagnoses related to the accident

At M. Austin Jackson Injury Lawyers, we recommend completing your medical treatment, or at least obtaining a clear long-term prognosis, before accepting any settlement. This patience ensures your compensation reflects the true extent of your injuries. We like to say, “you only get one bite of the apple, let’s make sure it’s the fairest bite!”

Tip #9: Consider Future Damages

For serious injuries, future damages often exceed immediate costs. These future expenses must be carefully calculated and included in your settlement demand.

Future damages may include:

• Ongoing medical treatment and therapy
• Future surgeries or procedures
• Long-term medication needs
• Reduced earning capacity
• Anticipated life care costs

Properly calculating these costs may require expert testimony from medical professionals, economic experts, and vocational specialists. These experts can provide credible projections that substantially increase your settlement amount by accounting for costs that might otherwise be overlooked.

Tip #10: Be Wary of Social Media

In today’s digital age, insurance companies routinely monitor claimants’ social media accounts for evidence that contradicts their injury claims. Even seemingly innocent posts can severely damage your case.

For example, a post showing you at a family gathering might be used to argue your injuries aren’t as limiting as claimed, even if you were in significant pain during the event or only attended briefly.

Until your case resolves:

• Consider temporarily deactivating your social media accounts
• Adjust privacy settings to the highest level
• Ask friends and family not to tag you in photos
• Don’t post about your accident or legal case
• Avoid posting photos of any physical activities

This simple precaution can prevent substantial reductions to the amount you recover.

Tip #11: Hire an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

Perhaps the most impactful step you can take is hiring skilled legal representation. Accident victims with attorneys usually receive higher settlements than those who handle claims themselves. (See for yourself by exploring our past results!)

Attorneys increase your settlement by:

• Accurately valuing your claim based on experience with similar cases
• Gathering and preserving crucial evidence
• Handling all communications with insurance companies
• Consulting with medical and economic experts
• Negotiating strategically with knowledge of insurer tactics
• Preparing for litigation if a fair amount isn’t offered for settlement

Most car accident attorneys, including our team at M. Austin Jackson Injury Lawyers, work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we recover money for your case. This arrangement aligns your attorney’s interests with yours, maximizing your recovery and making high-quality legal representation accessible to everyone.

Mistakes That Can Reduce Your Settlement

Understanding what NOT to do is just as important as knowing the right steps to take. The following mistakes can significantly decrease your compensation:

• Giving recorded statements without legal counsel: Your words can be taken out of context or misinterpreted to minimize your claim.
• Failing to follow medical advice: Missing appointments or ignoring treatment recommendations suggests your injuries aren’t serious.
• Accepting quick settlements: Early offers are almost always far below what your claim is actually worth.
• Posting on social media: As discussed above, even innocent posts can be weaponized against your claim.
• Handling negotiations yourself: Without knowledge of claim valuation and negotiation techniques, you’re at a severe disadvantage.

Avoiding these pitfalls will ensure you get a full and fair recovery.

How Our Attorneys Can Help Maximize Your Settlement

At M. Austin Jackson, we’ve helped countless accident victims throughout Georgia and South Carolina secure the maximum compensation for their injuries. Our approach includes:

• Thorough investigation of your accident to establish clear liability on the part of the at-fault driver
• Comprehensive documentation of all damages, both economic and non-economic
• Consultation with medical experts to fully understand your injuries and future needs
• Consultation with other experts, like economists or vocational experts, to boost the value of your case
• Strategic negotiation with insurance companies based on years of experience
• Preparation for trial from day one, strengthening our negotiating position

We understand that you’re going through a tough time, and our goal is to handle the legal complexities while you focus on recovery. Our deep knowledge of both Georgia and South Carolina laws ensures that we can navigate your claim effectively, regardless of where your accident occurred.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, contact M. Austin Jackson Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation. We’ll review your situation, explain your options, and help you understand how to get more money from a car accident settlement.