Car Accident: How much is my case worth?
Many people call me searching for an attorney after they were involved in a car accident. After they tell me that they were hit from behind and it is not their fault, usually the next question become "How much is my case worth?"
The simple answer is "I do not know." There are a lot of factors that go in to determining the amount of money a car accident victim can obtain. First, if there is no bodily damage or injury as a result of the car accident, then most likely, YOU WILL NOT NEED AN ATTORNEY. I understand first hand the inconvenience that a car accident causes, hour on the phone with the insurance company, travel to and from the body shop, renting a car, etc. But for the most part, your insurance company should handle the property damage costs as well as the rental car costs.
However, if you are injured in a auto accident, before you make any deals with the insurance company, you should consult an attorney. Why? Because the insurance adjustor handles these claims for a living and knows that if he/she can settle the claim quick with the injured person, they are saving A LOT of money in the future. Insurance companies are in the business of making money, that means high premiums low payouts. They want you to settle the claim quick with out an attorney because they know that if an attorney gets involved their costs rise quickly. They spend millions of dollars a year trying to make the trial lawyer look like a greedy person, but in actually they are spending millions of dollars so that people do not use the trial lawyer to protect their rights, i.e. savings to the insurance company.
If you are injured, most of the time, your case is worth more if you hire an attorney (even after you take out the attorney's fees). This is because the trial attorney is experiences in determing not only your present damages that you can claim but futire damages too (medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering).
Therefore, when you are considering settling a claim with an insurance adjustor or retaining a lawyer, ask yourself "How much is my case worth?" with an attorney representing me or on my own. Remember, once you sign the settlement with the insurance company, there is no second chance.
