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When you're facing issues with an accident that caused an injury, you may be wondering what the best way to settle it is. If you're debating between working directly with the insurance company for a settlement or having a personal injury lawyer help you with the negotiations, you should understand why an attorney is often in your best interest. Here are a few of the many reasons why you should look for a personal injury attorney to help you.
An Attorney Keeps You From Getting Short-Changed
You might think that when you file a claim with the responsible party's insurance company, the insurance company is going to settle the claim in your best interest. The truth is that the insurance company's ultimate goal is to pay out as little as possible on every claim that's placed. That means the offer you get may not actually be as fair as you think it is.
A personal injury attorney will have a good understanding of the average award entitlement based on the situation at hand and the severity of your injury. That means you'll have someone on your side who can tell you if an offer that seems sizeable is actually unfair and only a fraction of what you're really entitled to. They will help you fight for the reimbursement that you deserve.
It Won't Cost You Unless You Win
If you're holding off on retaining an attorney because you don't think you can afford it, you shouldn't let that discourage you. The truth is that most personal injury attorneys will take your case without any money up front, so you won't have to pay anything out of your own pocket. Often referred to as taking a case on contingency, this means that the attorney will only get paid if they are successful in getting you an award. You'll just pay a percentage of whatever you're awarded. The percentage is predetermined when you first sign the representation agreement, so you'll know roughly how much it will cost you before you even start the proceedings.
You'll Have A Lot More Information Access
When you work with an attorney, he or she will have the resources at hand to thoroughly investigate your case and help you build a solid foundation for your claim. They'll handle the entire research process, contact witnesses, get affidavits and statements, and do other things to help you formulate sound support and evidence for the claim you file. The more comprehensive the information and the more complete your paperwork, the better your chances will be of getting a solid finding and financial award from your case.
Your Attorney Can Help You Answer Questions
When you call to file an accident claim, the insurance company is going to ask you a lot of questions about what happened. Unfortunately, your answers to those questions may call some things into question. The best thing you can do is recount just the facts of the incident, and then refer any questions to your attorney. He or she will know how to properly respond to those questions with an effort of protecting your case.
The Attorney Can Negotiate Your Medical Expenses
Especially after a serious accident, the medical costs can add up quickly. You may want to wait until you receive your settlement to pay those medical bills, especially if you're missing time from work. However, if you delay paying the bills until the claim is paid, you may run into problems with those bills going into collections. Your personal injury attorney can help you negotiate with the medical providers to keep your balances out of collections and off your credit report while the claim is processed.
Contact a law firm like The Law Offices of Andrew Farmer PLLC for additional information.
Share16 April 2018
