In principle, after a car accident, the insurer must make an offer of compensation to the victim within a maximum of eight months of the accident.
However, the final offer of compensation can only be made when the victim is “consolidated”, i. e. when the injuries are fixed and permanent. In practice, the victim’s state of consolidation is determined by a medical expert.
In Ohio, if the insurer decides to submit the victim to a medical report in order to assess his or her losses, a summons must be sent to him or her at least 15 days before the examination. The report must be received within 20 days of the expert’s report. Car accident lawyers in Akron, OH agree that the expert’s conclusions may be final, and set the date of consolidation, or only temporary pending a future assessment.
In the event of minor injuries, the insurer may seek medical advice “on request”. A physician designated by the insurer will assess your damages based on the elements of your file.
If the consolidation is not completed within three months after the accident, the insurer may make a provisional offer, i. e. an early partial payment of the amount that will ultimately be paid to the insured.
In this case, the insurer must inform the insured of its final offer within five months of being informed of the consolidation.
Once the offer has been accepted by the victim, the victim has 15 days to challenge the agreement. In the absence of any manifestation on his part, the payment must reach him forty-five days after the acceptance.
Finally, if new after-effects related to the accident occur while the claim is settled, it is possible to request that the file be reopened within 10 years of consolidation. Contact best criminal defense Shreveport for more information about criminal defense law and other types of law.