When to Get Moving With Your Personal Injury Case

Getting embroiled in a legal battle on a personal injury case requires the dynamic and expert representation of a lawyer. However, there are times when handling your own injury insurance claim is the best thing to do.

Combined with basic information on the process of accident claims, a bit of organization and a dash of patience, your very own representation may be the best thing to have even in the absence of a lawyer. Without the costly fees that an attorney entails, you'll be able to get more compensation for your injury as long as your insurance company does not unfairly deny or reduce your claim.

Types of claims you can often handle on your own include automobile, cycle or pedestrian accidents; slip or trip and fall accidents; home accidents; and accidents with defective products.

But despite the fact that legal representation is helpful and even necessary particularly in situations involving severe or permanently disabling injuries and certain types of complicated accidents, there are reasons that indicate why you can handle your personal injury case even without the presence of a competent attorney.

1. Simple claims process

Oftentimes, the lawyer themselves and the insurance companies are the ones that make the process of settling an injury claim complicated. Usually, the process is quite simple. Most claims involve no more than a few letters and phone calls with an insurance adjuster. Moreover, the adjuster most often does not have legal training so technical language or complex legal rules are not necessary for both of you to understand each other. Thus, your right for compensation depends on nothing more than common sense and evidence on who was at fault and who wasn't.
2. Structured Compensation System

Several factors contribute to the figures that compose the amount of your claim. It doesn’t come from thin air or from a magician's hat. When computing for your claim's worth, a simple computation of figures-- the type of accident, injuries, medical costs, etc.—can give you the estimate of the amount. The system is structured in such a way that even if you're not a lawyer or from the insurance company, you could easily handle your claim by yourself. The amount an insurance company is willing to pay usually falls into a fairly narrow range.

3. You know your claim best

Better than anyone else, you yourself know how your accident happened. Not your insurance adjuster; not even your attorney. So who's the best person to represent your claim? You. You know what injuries you incurred and what physical condition and circumstances you're in now following your accident. These are generally the most significant elements to understand when settling an injury claim.

4. Definite savings on legal fees
According to one legal site, a lawyer is usually able to negotiate for clients only an extra 10% to 25% above what they can get when they opt for negotiating the claims themselves. Moreover, a lawyer will take 33% to 40% from the recovered damages, in addition to the charges of costs such as administrative services, court filing fees, etc. etc. Add them all up and you may be able to get just a fraction of the claim from the insurance company. This will definitely help you decide that your better off alone than with a lawyer around.

(Submitted to Anna Lim via email 012005)