Should I Handle My Own Personal Injury Claim?
Accident victims often ask me whether they “really” need an attorney to represent them through the insurance claims process. I would never state that you need to hire an attorney because a claimant may go through the entire process without an attorney or other representative. In fact, if the property damages or personal injuries damages are really small in a claim, then we may recommend that the claimant try to negotiate the claim on his or her own.
Will An Attorney Get You a Higher Settlement Than You Could Get on Your Own?
In many circumstances, the answer is, “Yes”. This is where I don’t want you to take my word for it. A study conducted in 1999 concluded that insurance companies paid higher settlements to accident victims represented by an attorney than those who represented themselves.
The insurance industry wanted to determine if represented claimants received higher settlements than those who were unrepresented. The Insurance Research Council, a non-profit organization comprised of many of the largest casualty and insurance companies in the country, conducted the study.
The IRC found that claimants who used an attorney received on average three and one-half (3 ½) times more settlement money than claimants who settled claims on their own.
You should at least obtain a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney to see what he or she can do for you. Ortiz Law Firm offers free case evaluations, but we do not accept every case. If you’d like a free case evaluation, or if you’d like to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney, call (888) 321-8131.