Start your claim by notifying the at-fault party of your intent to seek compensation for your damages. Get helpful tips for writing your letter.
When you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, you expect the at-fault party to pay for your losses. For most of us, that means dealing with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Your claim begins by putting the at-fault party and their insurance company on notice of your intent to file an injury claim.
If you have the insurance information, your notification can go straight to the insurance company. If not, here’s where we help you write a professional-style letter to the at-fault party, with the expectation they will get their insurance carrier involved.
About Personal Injury Notifications
A notification letter places the at-fault party on formal notice you’ve been injured and are pursuing compensation for your losses. Send the letter as soon as possible after your injury if you intend to handle your injury claim without an attorney.
When you’ve suffered relatively minor injuries and only missed a few days or weeks of work, you can probably negotiate a fair settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Some of the most common injury claims arise from:
- Minor car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog attacks
The sooner you get in touch with the insurance company, the better. You won’t be ready to negotiate compensation until you’ve recovered from your injuries, but you can get the injury claim process started.
Serious or complicated injury claims should be handled by an experienced personal injury attorney to get fair compensation for your losses.
Complicated claims can include:
- Multi-vehicle car accidents
- Severe or permanent injuries
- Medical malpractice claims
You can consult an attorney at any time during your injury claim. However, you can avoid costly mistakes by contacting an attorney from the start.
Pro Tips for Impressive Letters
You don’t have to be an attorney to send a professional-looking notification letter. A formal business letter will get the at-fault party’s attention and lets them know your intentions are serious.
Tips for an impressive notification letter:
- Double-check spelling and grammar
- Use good quality bond paper
- Use matching business-size envelopes
- Sign your name in black or blue ink
- Send the letter by USPS certified mail, return receipt requested
Keep the notification letter as simple as possible. Don’t discuss negligence, fault, or the extent of your medical treatment. Save those details for your compensation demand packet.
Your notification letter should include:
- Letter date
- Injury date
- Injury location
- Brief description of the incident, such as “car accident “or “slip and fall”
- Your full name and contact information
The letter date should be the day you mail the notification, not necessarily the day you began writing your letter.
When your letter is ready to go, sign it, and make a copy for your records. When the certified mail delivery confirmation (green card) comes back to you, attach the card to your copy of the notification letter.
Your copy of the signed letter with proof of delivery will go into your accident file, along with other important injury claim paperwork.
Notification Letter Template
Click the buttons to see explanations for the format or wording in the letter.
[YOUR FULL NAME]
[YOUR STREET]
[YOUR CITY, STATE, ZIP]
[DATE OF LETTER]
[AT-FAULT PARTY NAME]
[AT FAULT PARTY STREET]
[AT-FAULT PARTY CITY, STATE, ZIP]
Attn: [Name]
Re: [TYPE OF CLAIM] injury on [DATE OF INCIDENT]
Dear Mx. [NAME]:
On [DATE OF INJURY] at approximately [TIME OF DAY], I was injured by a [TYPE OF CLAIM] that happened at [LOCATION].
Please provide me with the name and contact information for your insurance carrier as soon as possible. You may contact me in writing at the address above or electronically at [YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS]
Kindly forward this letter immediately to your insurance carrier for coverage of my claim.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
The at-fault party will likely turn your letter over to their insurance company right away if they haven’t already put their insurer on notice of the incident.
Notification Letter Examples
Here we use fictional claim scenarios to show how the basic notification letter format can be personalized for different types of injury claims.
If you know of evidence that will help your claim, but it’s currently in the at-fault party’s possession, include spoliation language in your letter.
Spoliation is a legal term used in connection with important evidence that you don’t want to be “spoiled” before you can use it in your case. For example, if you fall in a store, you will ask the store to preserve (keep safe) footage from security cameras for the day of your injury.
Example Notification Letter for Slip and Fall Claim
Kelly R. Wilson
1234 Main Street
Jefferson, NY 12345
August 26, 2020
Standard Supermarket
1215 Roe Boulevard
Bastion, NY 11799
Attn: Val Thomas, Manager
Re: Slip and Fall on August 23, 2020
Dear Mx. Thomas:
On August 23, 2020, at approximately 10:00 a.m. I was injured by a fall in the Roe Boulevard store in Bastion, NY.
Please provide me with the name and contact information for the store owner and the store’s insurance carrier as soon as possible. You may contact me in writing at the address above or electronically at kellywilson@example.com
Additionally, I know there are surveillance cameras inside and outside the store. This letter will serve to provide you with notice to preserve and retain any information that may be relevant to my injury claim, including, but not limited to video or audio footage recorded on August 23, 2020, photographs, written or electronic reports, handwritten notes, and all other evidence relating to the incident.
Kindly forward this letter immediately to the store’s insurance carrier for coverage of my injury claim.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kelly R. Wilson
Example Notification Letter for Car Accident Claim
Kelly R. Wilson
1234 Main Street
Jefferson, NY 12345
August 26, 2020
Alex Smith
112 Ellington Avenue
Washington, NY 54321
Re: Vehicle Accident on August 23, 2020
Dear Mx. Smith:
On August 23, 2020, at approximately 10:00 a.m. I was injured, and my car was damaged when I was hit by your vehicle on Fleet Street at the intersection of Franklin Avenue in Monroe, New York.
Please provide me with the name and contact information for your insurance carrier as soon as possible. You may contact me in writing at the address above or electronically at kellywilson@example.com
Kindly forward this letter immediately to your insurance carrier for coverage of my injury and property damage claims.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kelly R. Wilson
If you’re involved in a car accident, even if it wasn’t your fault, you must report the collision to your insurance company. If the at-fault driver’s auto insurance had lapsed, or if their insurance company won’t accept liability, your insurance carrier will be ready to fight on your behalf.
Most auto insurance contracts have language requiring you to contact the company if you’re involved in an accident, regardless of fault. If you live in a no-fault insurance state, you must turn to your own auto policy for minor injury claims.
What to Expect After Sending Your Notification Letter
Once the at-fault party turns your letter over to their insurance company, you will hear from one of their representatives, called a claims adjuster.
The adjuster will want to hear your side of the story and may ask your permission to take a recorded statement. You are not obligated to give the at-fault party’s insurance carrier a recorded statement just because they call and ask for one.
Adjusters have different styles and sometimes use tactics designed to trick you into saying things that can be used against you. In any case, never give a recorded statement when you are tired, upset, or taking pain medications.
Don’t be surprised if the adjuster offers you a quick settlement. You can be pretty sure the offer is much less than the true value of your injury claim. Take your time. It takes patience and persistence to negotiate a fair settlement for your injury claim.
Consider consulting a personal injury attorney before trying to negotiate your injury settlement. Most attorneys don’t charge for their initial consultation, so it costs nothing to find out what a good attorney can do for you.
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