- Protect Your Rights.
If you are the victim of a personal injury (auto accident, work injury, or slip and fall) the last thing you should have to worry about is paying for something that wasn’t your fault. However, at-fault insurance companies do not make money paying out claims, instead, they increase their profits by minimizing or denying claim coverage settlements. Don’t be fooled by how nice the person from the at-fault insurance company sounds on the phone. Your medical bills have not started coming into their office yet. Some personnel will even tell you they will pay for your treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Even if they do pay, most will not pay 100% of the billing, which leaves you responsible for the remaining balance if you don’t have an attorney.
The reason why over 90% of people hire a personal injury attorney is to avoid the headaches from dealing with the at-fault insurance company and their techniques to minimize any settlement. Legal representation also relieves you from any outstanding healthcare billing caused by your accident.
- Doctors May Not Accept Your Case.
Because of insurance companies not willing to pay 100% of your healthcare treatment, some healthcare providers will not accept your case without having an attorney to represent you. The doctors’ primary goal is to get you feeling better as quickly as possible. Doctors do not want to get into the collection business with at-fault insurance parties. Retaining legal representation ensures all your medical and chiropractic bills caused by the accident are paid by the at-fault insurance company. A second reason why a healthcare provider may not accept your case is because of the attorney you have chosen. There are various reasons why a healthcare provider prefers you have an attorney who has a proven track record with their offices. If you are having difficulty finding a provider who will treat your injuries, please let us know. We can help you in most cases.
- Property Damage.
If your car experienced some damage in the accident caused by another party, you are entitled to have your car repaired and paid by the at-fault insurance company. The at-fault insurance company will evaluate the damages to your car and provide you with an estimate. They will also recommend you to use one of their preferred auto body repair companies. You do not have to use one of their repair shops. We recommend you take your car to at least two other auto body shops for an estimate. Select the shop you feel most comfortable with to do the work.
- Diminished Value.
Diminished value refers to the resale value of the car after it has been in an accident. Although no one should notice that your car has been in accident after professionally repaired, your vehicle identification number (VIN) has been reported to the DMV as having been in an accident. This impacts the value of your car. In most states, the at-fault insurance company will pay you the difference in value. Each state has different specifications for diminished value. In Georgia, diminished value is provided to the victim ONLY if he or she asks for it. In other states, the at-fault insurance company may automatically pay diminished value. Check your state to review the specifications. Do not allow the at-fault insurance company to get away from paying you value difference of your car was worth before the accident and what your car is worth after the repairs have been made.
- Lost Wages.
Most people cannot afford to take off work and lose money because they have been injured in a car accident, work injury, or a slip and fall. A personal injury attorney will seek to recoup all lost wages due to the accident. Keep a log of time away from work because of your accident. This will help your attorney demand your lost wages from the at-fault insurance company.
- Advocacy.
While most car accident cases are settled out of court, some do end up going to trail. If this occurs, you need a lawyer by your side to advocate for you in front of a judge and jury. You can be certain that the insurance company will have lawyers representing their interests. You need an attorney who is on your side in the courtroom.
- Reduced Stress.
Once you hire an attorney on a personal injury claim, the attorney will deal with the insurance companies on your behalf. The end result will be reduced stress to you. Some personal injury attorneys don’t handle your property damage, because it involves a lot of time and effort for little, or no, compensation. Ask the attorney during the initial consultation if he or she handles property damage.
