Why It’s So Important to Have an Attorney When You Deal with an Insurance Company
In the aftermath of a motor vehicle accident, one of the first things you’ll typically do is contact your auto insurance provider. Get ready for their high-pressure settlement tactics! Be prepared to hear how much they care about you, and how their primary goal is to ensure that you get the compensation you need as soon as possible. It’s all a well-conceived strategy. They’ll offer you more than you’ve probably ever seen at one time and hope that you take their offer. Don’t do it—here’s why:
- It’s almost certainly a low-ball offer—Insurance companies are for-profit entities whose primary allegiance is to shareholders (not policyholders). The way they maximize return on investment to shareholders is to minimize the amounts they pay to resolve claims. They’re not thinking about what you need—they’re thinking about what they can get you to take.
- You may not know the full extent of your injuries yet—Often, the most debilitating injuries suffered in a car accident are the last to appear. Lower back, neck and soft-tissue injuries may initially seem insignificant compared to broken bones, cuts or contusions, but they’ll impact your life in far greater ways and usually for a much longer period of time. If you settle early, you likely won’t get full compensation for all your losses.
- You likely have no way of knowing the full potential costs of your injuries—You’ve probably never been through this before, so you can’t possibly know all the potential repercussions of a motor vehicle accident. Insurance adjusters will have a very good idea of your potential losses, and so will an experienced personal injury attorney. If you settle too early, you’ll almost always settle for less than you deserve.
- Your settlement typically won’t include anything for pain and suffering—The insurance company certainly won’t voluntarily compensate you for pain and suffering. You need an experienced lawyer to ensure that the settlement you do accept include some coverage for those losses.
Contact Howard D. Popper, P.C.
At Howard D. Popper, P.C., we can help protect your rights. For a free initial consultation to discuss your options after any type of personal injury, contact our office online or call 973-993-8787 to set up an appointment. We have offices in Morristown and Newton.
We handle all personal injury claims on a contingent fee basis. You won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover damages for your losses.