Filing A Claim Without A Personal Injury Lawyer
Thursday, May 9th, 2019
Injuries from accidents occur all the time, including those from car wrecks, slips and falls, and workplace accidents. Each may call for the injured party to resolve a personal injury claim, with or without an attorney. If you are in an accident, your decision may depend upon the severity of your injuries and who was at fault.
Never settle for a small amount
When you’re injured in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another party, their insurance company will contact you. Usually, their first offer will be a low-ball figure but never settle for this. The amount will be much smaller than if you follow through the entire insurance claim process.
It’s important to show the true value of your personal injury claim by offering rulings from previous cases that were similar to yours. The information provided could support additional compensation for your insurance claim. A little research could become a worthwhile investment that gets you a larger settlement.
Know how to negotiate
The best approach to negotiating an insurance claim is to be assertive. This can be accomplished by being confident in your own abilities. So, how do you exhibit confidence during a negotiation? It is best to understand your legal rights, especially when trying to defend why you should be compensated for the injuries sustained in the accident. Being able to interpret the law will show an insurance adjuster that you cannot be taken lightly during the negotiation process.
Don’t become so confident that you forget to remain focused, though. Experienced insurance adjusters will attempt to undermine your defense by raising questions of your contribution to the accident. Suddenly, your insurance claim turns into determining who was at fault, rather than finding an amount. If you don’t have a strong knowledge of your legal rights, then it will be best to hire a personal injury lawyer.
Never settle an insurance claim too quickly
Ideally, you want your insurance claim to be resolved as soon as possible. But, victims can fall into the trap of accepting an insurance company’s first offer to quickly settle the case. Many fail to consider the chance of sustaining long-term disability from the accident.
For instance, minor back pain could require surgery in the future to repair a herniated disc. This could cause you to miss a significant amount of time away from work. Suddenly, the majority of your insurance settlement goes towards keeping you above water financially. All of this could have been avoided by waiting instead of negotiating a quick settlement deal. Once an insurance claim is settled, then the case is closed.
Provide proper documentation for your insurance claim
To proceed with your insurance claim, it’s important to offer evidence that supports your case. That means providing proper documentation of medical reports that show what type of injuries were sustained in the accident. You will also need any police reports and documents showing time away from work.
Be wary if an insurance company is willing to settle on your claim without reviewing the documentation. They are most likely trying to settle your claim before you can prove you deserve a higher amount.
Don’t let the insurance company record your statement
Never give a recorded statement about the specifics of an accident to an insurance company without some form of legal representation. This tactic uses your own words against you in a court of law. This could lower the amount of compensation awarded by a judge or jury.
Finally, insurance claims can be confusing and time-consuming. You will have to make sure that you do not make a mistake by filing a claim on your own. By hiring an attorney, you will have the help of an experienced professional who will fight for you. This means you can focus on yourself while you recover.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer in Amarillo and Lubbock, Tx
Contact Attorney Dean Boyd for more information about filing an insurance claim after an accident. You can reach us at (806) 242-3333 or Contact Us by email to learn more about our Services. You can also visit our offices at 4423 SW 45th Avenue in Amarillo, Texas or 10623 Quaker Ave #102 in Lubbock, Texas for more information.