Recently I have been meeting more and more clients who have come to me to resolve their automobile accident claim after they have already tried doing it on their own. In every case, they had gone into it thinking “why pay a lawyer for something I can do on my own?” In every case, they had done things to materially damage their case, and ultimately their settlements. For those that had already settled their cases but decided to consult with us anyway, it was clear that the amount they lost on handling their case on their own, far exceeded what would have been paid out on contingency to our law firm.
This stuff isn’t as easy as it looks – certainly not anymore. Sure, maybe fifteen years ago you could have been rear ended, had some back pains, and collected a nice payday. Those days are long gone. Get rear ended these days and the insurance adjuster will tell you to take a hot shower and in other cases, tell you that there was no biomechanical way that you were really injured (this means that their computer says you are not really hurt).
BENEFITS TO HIRING US
Property Damage
Either your car is damaged and needs to be repaired, or, it is so badly damaged that it is a total loss. If you follow the insurance company, they may steer you in the direction of using their body shop which may put used parts on your car and fix your car for as cheap as possible. If your car is a total loss, while figuring out its value is not rocket science, there are other ways to get more money for your vehicle depending on what was in the car at the time of the accident, as well as recent repairs. Just recently we were able to get an additional $2,000 for a client whose car had been destroyed as a result of recent repairs he had done on the vehicle even though the insurance company did not include this in their calculation. And no, we do not charge you any money to handle your property damage claim! It is part of our service to you.
Don’t leave money on the table!
Bodily Injury
You were hurt in your accident. But do you really know how to present your medical bills to the insurance company to be properly paid for your bills? If you think you can go to a few doctors, submit your bills, and have the insurance company pay you, think again. The insurance company uses their own valuations when deciding how much your treatments are worth, regardless of what you paid or what you were charged. As personal injury attorneys, we know how to argue the valuation of your medical bills so they are you properly reimbursed for your medical bills.
Also, what are you going to do if do not have health insurance? Unless you have the finances to pay medical providers upfront (and no, they are not cheap) you’re not going to be able to recover from your injuries using professionals. Fortunately, with an attorney, we have access to professional medical providers who will treat your injuries at no upfront charge to you. These doctors work on a “lien” meaning that they only get paid when your case settles. These are things that you generally cannot do on your own.
Liability
Don’t assume that because you have a police report which is on your side, or if the facts seems obvious, that you’ve won the case. Many adjusters, especially some of the nastier ones, will fight you tooth and nail. Especially when they know you’re not an attorney, they can be more inclined to either fight you on who was at fault. They will frustrate you, wear you down, and ultimately throw a low-ball figure at you. Think they are legally obligated to pay you just because you think you’re right? Think again. Especially since you are not an attorney, they have no issue pushing you to file a lawsuit because more than likely, you don’t know how to file a lawsuit nor will you want to incur the expense and stress of filing one.
Using a lawyer can help your negotiating position. If the opposing party does not want to accept fault, we can file a lawsuit for you, invest our time in the complexities of civil litigation, and reach a result that you may not have had you tried a case on your own. Unlike on TV where you can file a lawsuit on Monday and have your trial wrapped up by Wednesday of the same week, the reality is that lawsuits can take over a year to resolve, with hundreds of papers being exchanged between attorneys in the interim. This stuff isn’t as easy as it looks.
These are just a few of the many reasons why it is to your benefit to have an attorney represent you if you are injured in a motorvehicle accident. Given the pressure on adjusters to save money for their insurance company, the complexities of medical treatments and reports, and the law involved in arguing the vehicle code, don’t assume that it’s easy. Give us a call for your free consultation so you can focus on getting better while we focus on getting what you deserve! After all, this stuff isn’t as easy as it looks!
