Most people handle their own insurance claims for minor traffic incidents and fender-benders. When your car crash is more significant and caused by another driver, and especially when you are injured in such a crash, you would be unwise to try to manage your claim for compensation on your own if you’re not a trained and experienced personal injury attorney. That goes for other types of injuries caused by someone else’s negligence, including slip-and-fall injuries or dog bits on someone’s property.
Insurance companies don’t like lawsuits, because it gets expensive to pay private, corporate defense attorneys to represent them. When you deal with them on your own, some companies may try to deflect your efforts by being unresponsive and ignoring your claim. Some have even been known to delay your claim until your state’s statute of limitations has expired. Even when you are dealing with a reputable insurance company that is acting in good faith, a 1999 study by the Insurance Research Council revealed that the average person receives a settlement three and a half times larger with legal assistance than without it (allaw.com).
You need an attorney when you have suffered severe injuries, are faced with expensive medical bills, or have been unable to work and have had a significant loss of wages due to your injuries. An insurance company’s lawyers may be able to reduce compensation and even deny the claim altogether, warns dmv.org. At our law firm, we warn our vehicle crash injury clients that the other drivers’ car insurance companies “are not your good neighbor, they aren’t on your side, and you will not be in good hands with them. The insurance company will want to settle your claim as quickly and as cheaply as possible, or deny any responsibility at all.”
The consumer assistance website dmv.org stresses the fact that your personal injury attorney “can help you go up against big auto insurance companies and their team of lawyers. Your attorney already knows the personal injury laws and procedural rules and can effectively handle all the legwork for you. He or she will act as your advocate throughout the entire case.”
Richard Manger, principal of Manger Law Firm, has extensive experience in litigation and settlements, with a focus on personal injury and workers’ compensation law. We are proud of the strong relationships of loyalty and trust we develop with our clients. We go above and beyond to achieve the best possible outcome in your case. You can contact Richard Manger via email at ram@mangerlaw.com, or by calling (336) 882-2000.
