Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer or Deal With an Insurance Company Myself?

 Posted on April 17, 2019 in Personal Injury

A personal injury can turn your life upside down. In addition to the difficulties that come with your recovery, your injury is likely to have a major financial impact, including the cost of medical treatment and the loss of income while you are unable to work. If you are planning to file an insurance claim, you may expect to work with an insurance company to ensure that your injuries are covered. However, before doing so, it is important to consult with an attorney who can ensure that you are fully compensated for your damages.

How Can an Attorney Help With My Case?

When you are struggling in the aftermath of an injury, you may feel like you have to accept an offer made by an insurance company so that you can address your immediate financial concerns. However, an insurance company’s goal is to pay you as little as possible, and even if a settlement offer appears fair to you, it is likely that it will not fully cover your costs or meet your ongoing needs.

In reality, you should be wary of speaking to an insurance company at all before consulting with an attorney, because they may ask you to provide recorded statements, and any information you provide may lead them to reduce the amount of your claim or even deny your claim altogether. A lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to ensure that you receive the compensation you need.

In addition, an attorney can help determine the full extent of your damages and ensure that all of these costs are covered. While a settlement offer from an insurance company may cover the costs of your initial medical treatment, it may not meet your ongoing needs. For example, an offer may not take into account factors such as the need for regular physical therapy, accommodations for any disabilities resulting from your injury, negative effects to your ability to work and earn an income, or your physical and emotional pain and suffering.

At Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC, we work with a network of outside experts, including investigators, engineers, and doctors, to establish liability for your injury and determine the full monetary value of the damages you have suffered. We will aggressively negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, and if necessary, we will take your case to court to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Contact a Cook County Personal Injury Attorney

With dozens of years of experience representing clients in personal injury cases, our attorneys can provide you with the legal help you need following a car accident, slip and fall accident, workplace injury, or other incidents involving insurance claims. We work on a contingency basis, which means that we will only collect attorney’s fees if we win your case. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, contact our Chicago personal injury lawyers at 312-236-6324.

Sources: 

https://www.lifehack.org/528768/10-reasons-hire-personal-injury-attorney