Should You Hire An Accident Attorney
By: David G. Hallstrom
The following article was written for Resources For
Attorneys.com by David Hallstrom, a private
investigator, he is not now nor has he ever been an
attorney.
You have been in a accident, automobile, slip and
fall, workplace, etc.. Should you see or speak with an
attorney?
As far as I am concerned, the answer is always yes.
When should you consult with an accident attorney?
You should seek the advise of an accident attorney as
soon as possible after the accident. Do not wait. You
could be giving up certain rights. You should definetly
speak with an attorney before speaking with the other
sides insurance agent, adjuster or attorney.
You say that you can not afford an attorney. Most
accident attorneys will consult with you for free and,
if they take your case, will handle it on a contingency
basis, not taking any fee untill the case is settled.
Most settlements are increased to cover the cost of the
attorney and therefore normally the attorney costs you
nothing. Many attorneys will also advance all court
costs for you if they are forced to file suit.
You say that you were injured, however, the insurance
company has offered to pay your medical bills and you do
not feel it is right to take advantage of them by asking
for additional money for your, pain, suffering, lost
work, etc.. Don't you feel that you as a person are
worth something? Do you think so little of yourself that
you feel that your pain, suffering, inconvience, etc. is
worthless. You did not cause this accident. What you are
going through was caused by someone else. You deserve to
be compensated. The insurance company, as a matter of
good business, has already built these types of costs
into the premiums that they charge their customers. If
the money does not go to you it will probably go to
their shareholders or to increased salaries or ?. Why
shouldn't you be properly compensated. Remember most
good attorneys are ethical and although they will
attempt to obtain as much money for you as is due, they
will not take your case unless they feel that it is
proper.
You say someone else admitted liability and said that
their insurance will pay all your damages. That's great,
however, what if the person changes his or her story
later on and says that you were at fault. Or what if the
other side's insurance company refuses to pay what you
think is proper. In fact, how do you know what is
proper? Remember, an insurance company may pay claims,
but it is in business to make money. It normally will
not offer one dollar more than it has to and if you are
not represented by an attorney the insurance company
adjuster or attorney may feel that he or she can "get
away" with paying much less than the claim may be worth.
Additionally, what people state at the time of an
accident is not always what they state after having
spoken with a friend, insurance agent or attorney.
Finally, an insurance adjuster or insurance attorney
works for the insurance company, not for you. How do you
know that what they are telling you is correct or true.
Remember, in most instances, they are there to try and
save the company money. You need an attorney on your
side to tell you what your rights and obligations are.
You say that you were not hurt that bad or at all.
How do you know how badly you were hurt. Some injuries
do not show up for months. Other injuries may aggrivate
a prior problem. Even if you have been found to be "ok"
by a doctor, how do you know that a problem will not
come up later. If you have insurance and did go to a
doctor, who is going to pay your co-pay or deductible.
If you do not have health insurance, who is going to pay
for your examination which should include xrays, etc..
If you retain an attorney he or she can probably refer
you to a doctor who will accept a lien against the
insurance settlement, thereby saving you from paying
money out of your pocket.
You say you have accident insurance, why not let them
handle everthing for you. Your insurance company is
there to defend any claims against you not to represent
you in any claims against other parties. Additionally,
they also are in business to make money. How do you know
if they are trying to settle a case to help you or to
save themselves money.
The foregoing article was written by the author based
on experiences he has had as a private investigator
representing both accident attorneys and insurance
companies. This article is not stated as a legal opinion
or as fact but instead is stated as opinion of the
author.
Permission is given to reprint this article providing
credit is given to the author, David G. Hallstrom, and a
link is listed to Resources For Attorneys the owner of
this article. Anyone or any company reprinting this
article without giving proper credit and the correct
link, is doing so without permission and will be subject
to legal action.
|
