As a personal injury lawyer, I meet daily with people and give them advice on how best to proceed with their lawsuits and accident benefits insurance claims. Sometimes, I meet with people who have been working with their insurance company and are suddenly offered a settlement amount and don’t know what to do. Typically people wonder if the settlement amount is fair. Is it enough to take care of their injuries long-term? What does a typical similar injury case typically yield in settlement funds? Do they need a lawyer? How they should negotiate with the insurance company?
There are some cases that are basic and straightforward enough that representing yourself may be sufficient. If this is indeed the situation you find yourself in, then I still strongly advise you to contact a lawyer for some free legal advice just to make sure you are on the right track and not selling yourself short. Most experienced personal injury lawyers will do this for free for you and have all the information you need. It will likely be a meeting or phone call that takes less than 30 minutes but a meeting that could typically help you receive thousands more in compensation.
Most personal injury cases are that straightforward and that’s where experienced lawyers can make all the difference. In these cases, it’s always best to let a skilled lawyer negotiate for you. Our team negotiates cases and settlement amounts daily. We understand the complexity of the law and what needs to be asked for when it comes to compensation. We are very thorough and prepare diligently by ensuring all medical files are in order and a thorough medical diagnosis has been made by experts in that particular field. We also gather all motor vehicle accident reports, gather all witness statements and photos, and help our clients document their losses. There is a lot of preparation work involved but in the end, it pays off. It’s important to us that we make sure we have explored every aspect of your case so that when it comes time to negotiate on your behalf, we are overly prepared.
We have many systems in place to help make this process easier for you. The last thing we want to do is add stress to you at an already stressful time. Once our lawyers have fully prepared your case, we then meet with you and discuss how best to move forward. Once you are ready, we then approach the insurance company and begin the negotiation process. This stage of negotiations can sometimes resolve quickly but often insurance companies often want to try to poke holes in any weaknesses that may exist in your case.
It’s important for you to understand that your insurance adjuster is likely a very nice person; however, it is their job to try to settle your case for the least amount of money possible. They work for your insurance company. This puts them in a difficult position as they are not neutral and don’t necessarily have your best interest at heart. It’s important that you are properly prepared, as once you settle a case you cannot change your mind and revisit it later on. Our lawyers work closely with you to make sure you not only receive maximum compensation for your injuries but that you are happy and feel good about settling your case. We will never settle a case on your behalf without your approval.
It’s not easy proving your damages and losses. We know how to do it and we do it very well. Even if you have been working with your insurance company, it’s not too late to get advice from an experienced lawyer. Let us help you. You have been through enough.
