The first days decide the most
Not because of deadlines, but because of evidence.
A week later the road has been cleaned, the car has been repaired, the witnesses cannot be found and there are no photographs. Whatever is not recorded in the first days usually cannot be recovered afterwards.
So if you are able to: photograph the location, the vehicles, the marks on the road, the signs and the lighting. Take the names and numbers of witnesses. Keep the medical records from the first examination, even if you felt fine at the time.
The first offer is rarely the last
The insurer offers a figure and asks for a signature. That is a normal part of their job, not a trick. But the signature usually means closure, and after it nothing more can be claimed.
The difficulty is that in the first weeks the real extent of the harm is often unknown. An injury that looks minor can require treatment months later. Loss of income is not yet clear. Costs are still running.
So the offer is reviewed before it is signed, not after.
What compensation covers
Financial loss: repair or market value, treatment costs, rehabilitation, aids and equipment, lost income, travel to appointments.
Non-financial loss: pain and suffering, the limits placed on daily life, lasting consequences.
The second is what a first offer most often understates, because it is harder to calculate.
If you are a foreign national, or a foreign vehicle was involved
The procedure can become more involved here, because an insurer in another country and cross-border rules come into it. That does not mean nothing can be claimed. It means where the claim goes has to be established.
You do not need to stay in Bulgaria for the file to move forward. It is handled through a power of attorney and documents.
If fault is disputed
“They told me it was my fault” is somebody’s opinion, not an established fact. Fault is assessed from the report, from the physical evidence and sometimes from expert analysis. It happens that the apportionment is not what everyone accepted at the roadside.
What I will need
The accident report or the file number, the insurer’s details, your photographs if you have them, the medical records, and everything you have received from the insurer in writing, including the offer.
If you have an offer and have not signed it yet, call before you do.
This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice on any specific case. Rights and deadlines depend on the facts and the applicable law.