Being involved in a car accident that is not your fault and getting injured is not something that anyone can plan for. If you find yourself in this type of situation, hiring a car accident injury lawyer is the best thing that you can do. However, unfortunately many people have the mistaken assumption that it is easy to deal with a car accident injury claim on their own. If you attempt to settle a car accident injury claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company on your own, you're less likely to have a good outcome. Continue reading to learn more about what you can expect from an insurance company if you're injured in a car accident and choose not to hire a lawyer.
Requests for a Written or Recorded Statement
After you file a claim with the other driver's insurance company, an insurance adjuster will most likely contact you and request a statement. This statement may be written or recorded, but the adjuster will ask you to explain the details of the car accident. The insurance adjuster who contacts you may seem nice, but it is important to remember that they work for the insurance company and are not looking out for your best interests. If you decide to give a statement, your explanation of how the accident occurred may be used against you, and the insurance company may find a way to assign some of the blame on you. A car accident injury lawyer will advise you not to give a statement. Instead, they will communicate on your behalf.
Low Ball Settlement Offers
Insurance companies want to make money, not pay out large sums for settlements. When an insurance company discovers that you are not represented by a car accident injury lawyer, they will most likely offer to give you a settlement that is substantially smaller than what you actually deserve. The majority of people do not know how to determine the value of a car accident injury claim, so they make the mistake of thinking that the insurance company is being fair and they accept the low ball settlement. When you hire a car accident injury lawyer, they will fight for a fair settlement.
Denial of Your Claim
In some cases, the insurance company for the other driver may deny your claim and refuse to pay out any type of settlement. When this happens, the case will have to go to court. If you have no legal experience, a court case is not likely to go your way, especially since the insurance company will be represented by experienced lawyers. One of the reasons it is important to hire a car accident injury lawyer is to ensure that you have legal representation if your case has to go to court.
Share27 November 2020
My name is Noni. When I was in college, I was hit by a car while crossing the street. My life was never in danger, but I did break a few bones and had a lot of huge medical bills. I was hoping I wouldn't have to get involved with an attorney, but unfortunately, it came down to that. I used a family friend who is an accident attorney to get some compensation. A few years later, I was hit while riding my bike and had to go through the same process. I suppose I'm lucky to be alive. And it's thanks to accident attorneys that I have been able to put my life back together. I started this blog as a way to let others know just how much lawyers can help you in certain situations.