If you've been hurt in an auto collision, hiring a lawyer can help in the following ways:
ABILITY TO ASSESS CLAIMS. At our law firm, we handle personal injury claims on a daily basis. We can assess a claim and inform the potential client whether or not the situation presents a viable claim. Additionally, we can recommend a course of legal action to pursue.
ABILITY TO HANDLE COMMUNICATIONS WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES. When you pay your bill, you have little interaction or issues with insurance companies. However, once you have been involved in a collision, your interests and the car insurance company’s interests may not align. If you have to make an uninsured motorist claim or otherwise seek recourse against your own insurance company, you may be confused about your rights. Likewise, you likely have little experience dealing with other people’s insurance companies. We are experienced with handling communications and negotiations with insurance companies.
We can handle communications with the insurance company and act as the liaison between you and the insurance company. This can help alleviate such stressful communications and remove you from the precarious position of potentially saying something that can harm your claim.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEDICAL NEEDS. After a collision, you may have been physically injured. You may have never had an injury of that nature before. We have seen a number of injuries and may be able to recommend medical providers that may give you more information or that may help your treatment.
Additionally, we can discuss the potential long-term effects that your injury may have on you and your family. This information is important to know when assessing a settlement offer.
LEGAL ADVICE. Having a lawyer means that you will have access to someone who is familiar with the law and who can advise you in ways that can prevent you from adversely affecting your claim. Handling a case on your own may result in you causing irreparable damage to your case. For example, you could miss a filing deadline that can permanently bar your case.
ABILITY TO ESTIMATE SETTLEMENT VALUE. Because we routinely deal with cases like yours, we will have a good idea about what a good settlement figure would be in your case. We can tell you if your idea is unrealistic or if you are failing to take certain expenses into account if you have received a settlement that does not represent the true value of your claim.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES. Once we estimate the potential value of a claim, we can negotiate with the insurance adjuster. Most laypeople are not seasoned negotiators. They may not know the techniques to get the insurance company to pay the maximum amount on a claim.
LEGAL KNOWLEDGE. Not all cases are cut and dry. Some may involve multiple tortfeasors or raise questions of liability. We understand the laws in Washington and Idaho and can use this knowledge to consider strategies in settling your case. This knowledge may also assist us in knowing when a more extensive investigation is necessary. For example, we might need to hire private investigators or accident reconstruction experts.
LEGAL REPRESENTATION. The vast majority of personal injury cases settle well before trial. However, some insurance companies will proceed to trial in order to prevent claims of that nature from arising in the future or to avoid getting a reputation as a company that will resolve every claim through settlement. Therefore, it is important that you hire a lawyer who can provide you with competent legal representation in court.
COMPETE ON LEVEL GROUND. The insurance company that represents the defendant most definitely has a lawyer on retainer to act in the company’s interest. By trying to handle your claim yourself, you will likely be at a disadvantage. Having a lawyer ensures that you have an advocate who is vested in protecting your legal interests.
If you or a friend, family member, neighbor, or co-worker has been injured in an auto collision, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to find out how we can be of service.