If you've been injured in a wreck that was caused by a negligent driver, you may be wondering whether an injury attorney is worth the cost.
In my experience, a knowledgeable, trial tested personal injury lawyer will likely get you substantially more settlement money in-pocket than you will recover if you try to go it alone.
The auto insurance companies are working hard to pay out as little as possible for each claim. It is part of their business model, and they are constantly working to improve their bottom lines. Insurance companies spend considerable time and money training their adjusters to find reasons to reduce or deny your claim. They may run your medical bills through their own proprietary computer programs to justify their reductions. They may tell you that the amounts you were charged for a visit to the emergency room were not reasonable and customary. They may tell you that your physical therapy or chiropractic care was too expensive and unnecessary. They may tell you that your head injury or back injury was caused by something other than the motor vehicle crash. They may try to place part of the blame for the crash on you even though the other driver received the traffic ticket and was clearly the only person who was at-fault. They may attempt to take recorded statements from you shortly after the accident and use those statements against you in later litigation to undermine your credibility and lower the value of your claim. They may not tell you when they make a bottom dollar offer that you may be responsible for paying subrogation to your health insurance company from the settlement. They have their own team of lawyers who are experienced at litigating insurance claim cases. The power differential between the at-fault driver's insurance company and an injured motorist is so one-sided, so lopsided, that it is hard to imagine why anyone would attempt to settle their injury case without an attorney.
A skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer understands how the insurance companies work. They know where the pressure points are and where they can build leverage into your case to win a better settlement or judgment. They negotiate with insurance adjusters every day and they recognize when the insurance company is acting in bad faith, which can expose the insurance carrier to substantially more liability and potentially larger payouts.
A skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer will give you a clear advantage over someone who decides to go it alone against the insurance companies. Your attorney will evaluate your case and provide a professional assessment of its value. Your attorney will provide advice on when to hire experts, when to pursue litigation, and when a fair and reasonable offer is on the table. When it is time to make a demand, your attorney will package your medical records, police reports, case photographs, lost wages, physical impairment, pain and suffering, disfigurement and other damages that may be applicable with the aim of making a powerful and persuasive argument for the settlement your case deserves. Your attorney will engage in the back and forth negotiations, arguments, offers and counteroffers that are part of every attorney-driven insurance settlement. You will receive advice on the hidden traps that could lower the value of your case and the timing considerations for making certain types of demands against the insurance carrier's policy limits.
In short, hiring a skilled and experienced personal injury attorney will level the playing field and give you a far better chance of settling your case from a position of strength.
The Max Law Firm has the skill, experience and determination to fight the insurance companies for the compensation your case deserves. For a free consult, call 720-699-8268.