Why Retain a Personal Injury Attorney?
You were stopped at a red light when another driver slammed into the back of you, totaling your car and causing you serious back injuries in the process. You obtain the other driver’s insurance information at the scene of the accident before going to the hospital for treatment. Once you have received sufficient medical treatment to stabilize your injuries so that your treating physicians can decide later if you will need surgery, you contact the other driver’s insurance company to file a claim because the medical bills are already piling up. Plus, you have no way to get around, and you need some way to pay for everything. Several days later, an adjuster from the other driver’s insurer calls you, asks if you have an attorney representing you and, when you say no, tells you that is better because she can offer you more money and settle your claim more quickly that way. In this scenario, you are likely wondering, am I really better off not hiring an attorney and just negotiating directly with the negligent motorist’s insurer? The answer is a resounding no. Retaining a personal injury attorney is in your best interest.
People who choose not to hire an experienced Florida personal injury attorney to represent them if they have been injured by someone else’s negligence almost always lose out by trying to reach resolution of his or her injury claim on his or her own. They don’t save money, they actually lose money. The insurer for the person who is responsible for your injuries in a motor vehicle accident wants to pay you as little as possible to settle your claim and do it as quickly as possible. This is why you need an experienced Florida personal injury attorney in your corner to look out for your best interests because the other side’s insurer is certainly not going to do so.
Why You Cannot Trust What the Other Side’s Insurer Tells You
If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, what that person’s insurer will not tell you is that they will pay you less—much less—if you do not have an attorney because you have no idea how much money your case is actually worth. You likely have never been a party to an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit before, so you would not be expected to have any idea what type of value a jury may award for your injuries and other damages. However, an experienced attorney will be able to tell you what your claim is realistically worth and whether what the negligent motorist’s insurer is offering you is truly a good deal for you or not.
You also need to understand that the other driver’s insurer has no duty under Florida law to you. They instead have a duty to their own policyholder, the driver that injured you and to protect the best interests of that individual. The insurer ultimately has no responsibility to ensure that your best interests as the injured party are protected. Any suggestion that they are “looking out for you” is simply not true. If you hire an attorney, on the other hand, that attorney has an ethical obligation to look out for your best interests.
The Value of an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Having an experienced attorney on your side is invaluable in a scenario like that described above. An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to take a hard look at the facts of your case and give you an honest and unbiased opinion as to the value of your case, any potential weaknesses that you need to keep in mind in deciding whether you want to accept a settlement offer from the insurance company, or whether to instead pursue the matter through litigation. More importantly, an experienced attorney will be able to tell you if the insurance company is simply making a low ball offer in the hopes that you will go away. You need someone experienced at building a case, understanding the often complex legal and medical issues that may be involved in your motor vehicle accident, and the applicable law. Otherwise, you cannot meaningfully evaluate whether what the insurer tells you is its “best offer” is actually a fair offer or instead simply an attempt to take advantage of you. Do yourself a favor and, if you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, hire an experienced attorney to look out for your interests.
Seek the Assistance of Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A.
If you have been injured in a Florida car accident, you should retain an experienced Florida personal injury attorney as soon as possible after the incident to assist you in receiving maximum compensation for your injuries suffered as a result of someone else’s negligence. At Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A. our experienced personal injury attorneys have more than 150 years of combined legal practice representing victims of all types of motor vehicle accidents and other incidents involving personal injuries in Florida. We understand how confusing it can be if you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else’s negligence. You may be dealing with figuring how to get to work or how to get your kids to school while your car is in the shop being repaired and you are also juggling getting to and from medical appointments for injuries that were caused by someone else’s negligence. If you, a family member or a loved one has been injured in a Florida car accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A. today at 877-694-6079 or contact@schwedlawfirm.com for a free consultation.