Learn what they are and why they are important following an injury.
If you have been injured in an accident that was caused by another party, you will rightfully want for them to cover the costs of your injuries and other losses. In most every case, this will involve an interaction with their insurance company. The official means of carrying out this interaction is through notification and demand letters.
Notification Letters
The notification letter serves to inform the interested parties (namely the at-fault party and their insurance company) that you have been injured and you plan to pursue a personal injury claim against them. In the copy of the letter addressed to the insurance company, you should also request formal notification of the policy limits held by the at-fault party, as this may influence the amount of damages you will seek in negotiations later.
The notification letter should not go into detail about the nature of your injury, the events leading to the accident, or the amount of damages you expect to seek. After all, the purpose of the letter is simply to give notice that you are making a claim, and you do not need to worry about providing details on that claim just yet.
Demand Letters
Once you have gathered all the evidence needed to support your claim—including medical records showing the full extent and cost of your injury—you can draft your demand letter. This letter will be sent directly to the insurance company, outlining the amount of damages you are seeking and the reasons why they must pay you these damages.
The demand letter has two main parts. First, you will need to set up the circumstances of the accident with a chronological description of the events that transpired. Next, you will describe your injury and the costs of that injury. Both the “tangible” costs such as medical bills, lost wages, etc. and “intangible” costs such as pain and suffering should be included. You will need to make a strong and clear argument showing that the insured party’s actions were the direct and proximate cause of the accident and your injuries.
Should You Write Your Own Notification and Demand Letters?
It is certainly possible to compose your own notification and demand letters. There are plenty of resources out there that will help you do this. If your injury was relatively minor, the amount of damages you are seeking is small, and liability is clear, you may be able to successfully handle your claim on your own.
However, for more complicated cases, it is advisable to consult a skilled personal injury attorney such as Fernando D. Vargas to represent you and handle all interactions with the insurance company. Drawing on his many years of experience, Attorney Vargas will ensure that you calculate your damages accurately in order to maximize the amount of compensation available in your case.
