How Can an Attorney Help With Insurance Company Negotiations After an Accident?
The aftermath of an accident is a confusing time. You may be contacted by one or multiple insurance companies soon after the incident, before you fully understand your injuries and situation. Unfortunately, you cannot trust an insurance claims adjuster to protect your interests. The most effective way to secure fair compensation is to get help from a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles.
Accurate Case Assessment
Insurance companies operate as for-profit businesses. During claim negotiations, their main goal is to convince the claimant to settle for as little as possible. An attorney, on the other hand, will want you to receive maximum financial compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Case values are subjective and based on a claimant’s individual circumstances; there is no such thing as an “average” amount that you can base your case on. For an accurate idea of how much your accident case is worth, you must consult with an attorney.
A personal injury lawyer will review the specifics of your case – such as the severity of your injuries and how they will impact you in the future – to determine its monetary value. This case evaluation will allow your lawyer to negotiate with an insurer for a fair amount.
Evidence Collection
The strength of your personal injury claim will depend on the quality of your evidence. An experienced attorney can immediately go to work on gathering and preserving evidence to support your claim. This can include police or incident reports, witness statements, medical records, photos and videos, and expert testimony. An attorney can build a compelling case in an effort to reach a higher settlement.
Insurance Adjuster Communications
Having a personal injury lawyer represent you during conversations and communications with an insurance claims adjuster can protect you from saying or doing the wrong thing. The adjuster may try to convince you to give them a recorded statement, admit fault for the accident, underestimate your injuries or accept a lowball settlement. Hiring an attorney to take over communications for you ensures that your rights are adequately protected.
Settlement Negotiations
If the insurance company offers you a settlement to resolve your accident or injury claim, avoid immediately accepting the first offer. Initial offers are often set low in an attempt to save the insurance company money. A top-rated accident attorney in Los Angeles can help you negotiate the value of a settlement offer until it accurately reflects your past and future losses.
Insurance Disputes
A personal injury lawyer will protect you from being treated unfairly by an insurance claims adjuster during the legal process. If there are signs of insurance bad faith, or the insurance company refusing to process your claim in an honest and good faith attempt to resolve it based on the terms of the policy, your attorney can file a lawsuit against the insurance company on your behalf.
An attorney can also bring your personal injury case to court, if necessary. If the insurance company refuses to offer a reasonable settlement based on the extent of your serious losses, for instance, your attorney can go to trial to pursue a higher judgment award from a judge or jury.If you were recently injured in an accident in California, reach out to an attorney near you for a free consultation, where you can discuss all of the potential benefits of having an attorney handle insurance company negotiations on your behalf.