You may have witnessed an accident on the road or heard about it on TV or someplace else. But when it comes knocking on your door, you realize the whole equation changes – with you at the center of it all. At this stage, you probably have a million of things on your mind: the shock, taking off work, your health, your family, the bills among many other things. With so much going on, it’s easy to postpone consultation with an accident lawyer until everything is settled. Unfortunately, the more time passes between your accident and the ensuing investigation, the harder it becomes to get adequate financial recovery for your injury and damage.
That’s why experts recommend that you contact a car accident attorney immediately after calling for medical help. Insurance companies have a team of high flying attorneys and adjusters who start accessing your injury suit immediately. It’s important to note that these firms don’t have your interest at heart. If anything, they are concerned about protecting their bottom line. Compensating you for your losses doesn’t add value to their business, which explains why your interests and theirs don’t align.
Besides, you do not stand a chance against lawyers that work full-time for billion-dollar insurance firms – yes, you can represent yourself, but you’ll be at their mercy – literally. They may offer you a few hundred bucks or a thousand dollars or even deny your lawsuit claiming that you were equally at fault for the accident. They will do this because they know you are not aware of your legal rights, as well as the channels you can use to fight them. And just so you know, these lawyers do this every day – it is their work to challenge claims on behalf of the insurance companies (their employers), so facing them alone is never a wise move.
It is for this reason that you should retain an accident lawyer right away if you are injured on a road accident to level the playing field. Hiring a lawyer means not having to deal with the insurance company’s lawyers by yourself. It means not saying anything that will vindicate you later on. It also means that there is a possibility of litigation, should the insurance company fail to offer adequate compensation for your injury and damage.
However, not all accident law firms are created equal – in fact; many are nothing but settlement mills. A majority of law firms parading themselves out there as industry leaders are only as good as their advertisements sound – you’ll be surprised that their lawyers never step foot in the courtroom. You don’t want that for yourself – such lawyers will force you to accept the deal. You’d rather work with an average trial lawyer than a settlement mill because insurance companies will have to spend money defending a case in court. Insurance carriers aim to save money, and the reality of litigation will almost always get them to sit at the table and listen to your demands.