How an Attorney Can Help You Better Protect Your Rights
You’ve been hurt in a car, truck or motorcycle accident, or you’ve suffered a serious injury in a slip and fall on someone else’s property. The case seems open and shut…maybe your insurance company has already offered you what seems to be a reasonable settlement. It might cross your mind to simply deal with an insurance company directly or try to handle the case without a lawyer…after all, your attorney is going to take a big chunk of your damage award. Don’t do it.
The Importance of Skilled Legal Counsel When Dealing with Insurance Companies
You may consider your insurance agent a personal friend and find it difficult to accept that they won’t place a premium on getting you the coverage that you need and deserve. However, insurance companies are for-profit entities. They are duty-bound to maximize their value to shareholders. They accomplish that objective primarily by minimizing the amounts they pay out in claims.
Here’s what you can expect. You call your agent and tell them about your accident. They express their concerns and tell you they’ll initiate the claims process. They do…by turning your case over to an insurance adjuster. The adjuster will be someone you don’t know, who has no personal relationship with you. The adjuster’s primary incentive is to minimize the amount you receive. That will typically take the form of delays or denials, but may also include a settlement offer. Beware! It’s highly likely that the initial offer made by your insurance company is for far less than you need or are entitled.
When you hire an experienced attorney, you’ll immediately have someone who:
- Knows the real value of your claim
- Knows that tactics and strategies your insurer will use to try to get you to take as little as possible
- Will act as your intermediary with your insurer, so you won’t be subjected to the high-pressure settlement tactics
- Has a built-in incentive to get you full and fair compensation for your losses
Never Go to Court without an Attorney
There’s an old adage—a person who represents himself in court has a fool for a client. Even if you have an extensive knowledge of the law, it’s impossible for you to be objective when you have so much at stake.
There’s simply no such thing as a “straightforward” or “uncontested” personal injury claim. There’s always money at stake and that’s always incentive for defense attorneys and insurance companies to engage in a variety of tactics to minimize liability. Don’t expect the judge to look at the facts and take sympathy on you, either. It’s not the judge’s responsibility to make your legal arguments. It’s only the judge’s responsibility to rule on your arguments.
Additionally, the civil trial process is fairly structured, with certain documents due at certain times. Your attorney will know what needs to be filed and when, and will ensure that you follow all procedures.
Contact the Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys at Bailey & Galyen
At the law offices of Bailey & Galyen, we have more than 40 years of experience helping personal injury victims across Texas get full and fair compensation for the carelessness or negligence of others. We will aggressively help you pursue full and fair compensation when you have been injured in any type of accident. Contact us by e-mail or 844-402-2992 call our offices at one of the convenient locations listed below. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
