When dealing with an insurance claim, many people wonder whether hiring a qualified legal representative is worthwhile. Although you can deal directly with your insurer, seeking legal advice from an experienced law firm is usually in your best interests.

Why you should consult with a lawyer to maximize your insurance claim

A lawyer’s experience in dealing with insurance claims is undoubtedly greater than your own, and their knowledge is an invaluable asset to your case. In addition, a good lawyer will have participated in the insurance claim process hundreds of times and has built up experience and knowledge about how to get the most out of a claim. In short, hiring an attorney will increase your chances of obtaining a good recovery for your injuries.

Your lawyer can, for example:

• Assess the validity of a claim;
• Make a claim on your behalf;
• Dispute a claim on your behalf; and/or
• Represent you in court if a lawsuit is needs to be filed.

When should you consult with a lawyer?

You can choose to seek legal advice at any stage of the claims process, but generally, the earlier, the better. It is always best to consult with a legal representative before filing a claim with your insurance company. The best outcomes happen when a client contacts an attorney immediately after they are in a wreck and before they have any communications with any insurance companies.

Insurance companies will find any reason to deny a claim. If they can’t, they will try to lowball you and offer you a lower settlement than you deserve. Insurance adjusters are trained on how to ask questions in a way that will get the injured person to say something that can hurt their recovery. Hiring a lawyer may help you to avoid having your claim denied or reduced on a technicality or minor detail. A lawyer will know how to guide you through the tricky processes and can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. As opposed to self-representation, having a lawyer on your side can help you to avoid accidentally hurting your case. They will be able to advise you on which information is necessary to provide and how to answer their questions.

Are there any risks involved with self-representation on an insurance claim?

The biggest risk you run is having your claim denied by the insurance company. If an insurance company denies your claim, they are unlikely to change their stance unless new evidence is presented. For this reason, having an experienced lawyer from the beginning will help you avoid this situation.

However, if your claim has been denied, an attorney may still be able to help you by finding evidence you may have missed.

Insurance companies often take advantage of unrepresented claimants by making low offers or even denying claims in hopes that they will walk away quietly.

 

Insurance adjusters are often trained to use tactics like leading questions to lower the claim value. As a result, they will likely try to find loopholes and technicalities to avoid paying out your claim, but a good lawyer can work around this and present the necessary types of evidence to maximize your payout.  Contact us (404-487-8529)