Why Hire a Lawyer
Just as every person is unique, so is every injury claim that affects that person and his or her quality of life. The handling of the claim may well impact a person and their family for years to come. There are often times many issues not apparent to the layperson. An experienced and skilled personal injury lawyer will discover and explain all of your options and give advice based upon knowledge and insight gained over the years. Many people make the mistake of asking their insurance company for advice. Your company does not represent you in a claim against a negligent party. Ultimately all insurance companies have the goal of maximizing profits. Money is paid out only when required under their policy. If a claim can be denied based on a minor/legal technicality, it will be denied. There is plenty of case law involving companies suing their own insureds on a technicality to avoid payment under their own policy.
Some insurance adjusters like to advise claimants not to seek counsel. They argue that the lawyer fee will reduce the net recovery when the opposite is true. They want you to believe that they will be fair in their evaluation of the claim. In reality the final evaluation will probably be performed by a computer software program or a claims manager who will never speak with or meet the claimant. The goal is to improve the claims department performance, not to assure that anyone is fairly treated or fully compensated. Insurance companies respond to risk. Even a well informed and articulate layperson will have no leverage. A personal injury lawyer known by insurance adjusters as someone willing and able to present a convincing case to a jury if needed is likely to resolve the case without a lawsuit at a fair settlement value. This requires knowledge, a skill set and most importantly a commitment to the client.
No amount of money can adequately compensate for the loss of a loved one or compensate for life-altering injuries. At our firm we work hard to achieve the best monetary result and also realize the vast majority of injured people want only to be treated fairly and get on with their lives. Trusting your claim to the right lawyer will eliminate unneeded stress and help assure a just result.