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You do not have to go through the insurance claim process by yourself. Instead of battling a billion-dollar insurance corporation on your own, you get the time to rest and recuperate from your wounds when a personal injury attorney handles your injury case. Contact our legal team at KJT Law Group today to learn more.
Benefits of Working with a Personal Injury Attorney on Your Insurance Claim
When a legal professional handles your injury claim, they can take care of tasks like these so that you do not have to:
- Answer your questions about the legal process
- Investigate the accident that wounded you
- Identify all the potential defendants
- Collect evidence to prove the defendant’s liability
- Determine which legal theories are the best arguments for your injury case
- Calculate the financial value of your injury claim
- Complete all necessary legal paperwork
- Draft a demand letter and send it to the negligent party’s insurance company
- Evaluate the insurer’s response to the demand letter and devise a response
- Negotiate with the insurance company and try to reach a fair settlement.
- File a personal injury lawsuit
- Take your case to trial, if necessary
If you try to handle your claim or lawsuit without a personal injury law firm on your side, you will have to perform these and other tasks on your own. These are just a few examples of the many personal injury attorney benefits.
Tactics an Insurance Company Might Use on Your Personal Injury Case
One of the insurance claim lawyer advantages is their ability to protect you from insurance company negotiation tactics and other strategies that insurers often use against injured people.
Here are some of the pitfalls to look out for when dealing with an aggressive insurance company on your own:
- The insurance claims adjuster has no legal obligation to tell you about the statute of limitations that applies to your claim. For example, under CCP § 335.1, California’s personal injury lawsuit filing deadline is only two years from the accident date. If you do not file your personal injury lawsuit before the deadline, you cannot take legal action, leaving you with few or no options for winning fair compensation.
- The insurer might say you don’t need a lawyer. Consider that insurance companies hire hundreds of insurance defense lawyers to help them pay as little money as possible to injured people. You deserve a personal injury attorney who will look out for you.
- The adjuster might make a lowball settlement offer. The initial offer is likely far below what your injury claim is worth. You do not want to find out after settling that your injury claim was worth significantly more money than you received.
- An injury settlement covers all of your losses in one check. You will not get more money later for your lost wages, medical bills, ongoing impairments, or other damages. People often make the mistake of thinking of the settlement check as “free money.” However, that error could cause them great disappointment, especially when the settlement does not cover their medical expenses and other out-of-pocket losses.
- The insurance company will not tell you about the different categories of monetary damages you could pursue in your personal injury claim. According to the American Bar Association, successful personal injury plaintiffs can recover their economic losses, like medical bills and lost wages, as well as their non-economic or intangible losses, like pain and suffering.
- In most cases, you should complete your medical treatment before settling your claim, so you know the full extent of your losses. However, the insurance company will not tell you this. You might need to file a lawsuit if your medical treatment is ongoing and the statute of limitations is approaching. However, be aware that the insurer will not pay any future medical bills, lost wages, or other losses after you settle.
Hiring an attorney for insurance disputes can spare you from falling prey to these insurance company negotiation tactics. Some aggressive claims adjusters deny injury claims even when their insured party is clearly liable. In this situation, claim denial lawyer assistance can be invaluable.
Get a Free Personal Injury Case Consultation Today
When you must negotiate with an insurance company on your personal injury claim, having a personal injury lawyer on your side could make all the difference. At KJT Law Group, we help people who suffer severe injuries because of the negligence of others. We work on a contingency basis, so you will never pay us upfront or out of pocket.
Contact us today for a free consultation to learn how we can help you. Call (818) 507-8525 or complete our online contact form.
