Injury vs. Insurance: 4 Ways to Deal With Injury Insurance Claims

You have been in an accident and in addition to being seriously injured you are probably feeling angry, frustrated, and confused regarding what to do next.

Two things can be obvious after an accident: that a party is liable for your injuries and you will need to be compensated to pay for things such as lost wages, medical bills, and other personal expenses. As a result, you need to look at hiring a personal injury lawyer who can represent you when dealing with the responsible party’s insurance company.

After all, it is the insurance company that will be compensating you if your lawsuit or claim is successful. Below are ways a personal injury lawyer is effective when insurance companies are involved and therefore why you should consider hiring one.

1. Can put a value on your claim

When you decide to go ahead with a personal injury claim, it may be difficult to put a dollar value on compensation you are requesting. If the amount is too much, you may be portrayed as someone only interested in money. An amount too little will leave you unable to cover your financial obligations while you are injured.

A person injury lawyer can assist you in putting a total on the amount of compensation you are requesting. The lawyer can review your case in depth and determine what your present and future expenses will be. This can include legal fees, medical bills, lost wages, and financial assistance with rent or mortgage payments, bills, and personal expenses. By doing so, your attorney will guarantee that you are asking for enough compensation to meet your needs.

2. Representation

Representatives from insurance companies have a reputation of being aggressive towards plaintiffs seeking compensation from them. Their mandate is minimizing the compensation that will be paid out to you as much as possible and tend to use many tactics to do so. These can include barraging you with letters and telephone calls and attempting to use what you say to them against you.

A personal injury lawyer is effective in representing you when dealing with insurance companies. They will articulate your best interests and will not be bullied by insurance company representatives attempting to skirt their obligation to pay compensation. Once you are legally represented, the insurance company can no longer contact you directly. Therefore, it is in your best interest to hire an attorney as soon as possible so he/she can handle all correspondence from the insurance company and act accordingly.

3. Negotiation

Some personal injury lawsuits can go to trial when neither party can agree on issues such as liability or compensation. However, most entail an initial offer to settle from the defendant’s insurance company. It may be tempting to accept this offer to put an end to your legal battle and because it appears to be enough to cover your needs, but you really should consult with a lawyer before doing so.

A personal injury lawyer can review any offers received from an insurance company and match it to your present expenses. He/she can also estimate what your future needs will be and take these into account. In doing so, your attorney can then advise you on whether to accept, reject, or make a counter-offer.

4. Connections

You may think that your case is pretty straight-forward and you will be able to convince a judge to rule in your favour. However, you need all of the evidence you can get to boost your case and you will not be able to do it alone.

A personal injury attorney knows what types of evidence it will take in order for you to be successful in receiving compensation from an insurance company. Lawyers often have made long-standing connections with professionals who can provide evidence for your case. For example, private investigators can be hired to examine the scene where the accident occurred and track down witnesses present. Your lawyer may even have connections in the medical field and can arrange for additional tests and examinations. By doing so, your lawyer will be able to obtain as much evidence as possible, maximizing the chances of a ruling in your favour.