Why should you Hire an Attorney?

There are a number of reasons why you should hire an attorney to assist you with your accident claim. Every claim is different and each person has a unique set of facts and circumstances that need to be fully evaluated. You can discuss your claim with no obligation by calling 877.424.5547 or Contact Us Online. Here are some things to consider before trying to handle your claim yourself:

1. Most people are not involved regularly in accidents. Even if you had an accident five years ago, things may have changed: laws constantly change, jury verdicts change (higher and lower), and insurance contracts change. Also, insurance companies have sped up the process to stack the deck in their favor against the claimant - have you seen the mobile claims offices driving around town or had the insurance adjuster wanting to make an appointment to come out to your house to resolve the claim. Their goal is not customer service because you're not the customer. Instead, their objective is to minimize their risk and what they have to pay to you. Insurance companies have learned that if they can get to you before you have an opportunity to get advice from an attorney, they win. So what you don't know may hurt you.

Most people focus initially on the repair of their vehicle and obtaining medical attention. However, there are a number of other things that may be reimbursable ranging from lost wages to loss of use of your vehicle while it is getting repaired. Also, beware of health insurance companies or medical providers (hospitals in particular) looking for information about the claim. These folks are aggressively pursuing reimbursement whether they are legally entitled to it or not. Our office has found that coordinating these other benefits is often as complex as handling the underlying accident claim with the other driver's insurance company. If you are unfamiliar with these issues, you are at a severe disadvantage. You could be resolving your claim not knowing that you may have unknowingly and unnecessarily obligated yourself to reimburse a health insurance company or medical provider for additional amounts beyond what you are being paid by the other driver's insurance company. An attorney's job is to make sure that you avoid these pitfalls, get what you are entitled to, and not reimburse someone that is not legally obligated to be repaid.

2. Arizona is a transient State, and people regularly move in and out of this State. As a result, many people who handle a claim on their own do not take the appropriate steps at the outset of the claim to conduct a full investigation and prepare for the possibility that the insurance company will not make them a fair offer. Many insurance companies will convey a sense of fair play by handling the damage to your car and telling you they have "accepted liability" for the accident. As a result, people let their guard down, and do not obtain witness statements, police reports, and sign medical authorizations to allow the insurance company to obtain privileged medical information about you without you first seeing it. Accepting liability does not mean that they will pay you what you think or is fair. If a claim is not fully prepared, and the insurance company does not make you a fair offer, the end result is usually litigation. The injured person has the burden of proof in the courthouse. If you have not done your legwork or can't find the folks involved because too much time has passed, it is going to be extremely difficult to present a successful claim when you can't meet your burden of proof. The time to prepare a claim is not at the end but at the outset. An experienced attorney will conduct an investigation of the claim and make sure it is properly prepared and managed throughout your recovery period so that if litigation is necessary the burden of proof can be met. Although it may seem strange, the objective is to avoid litigation and resolve the claim through negotiation. Litigation is costly - both emotionally and financially, and time consuming. With the assistance of an attorney, negotiating the claim to a successful resolution because the claim is positioned properly, usually results in a more timely resolution, less expense and a better recovery for the client.

3. An attorney saves you time and allows you to focus on what is important in your life, getting better and doing the things that you like to do. Do you really want to spend hours talking to tow yards, body shops, doctor's offices, billing departments, health insurance companies, and attorneys who represent your various medical providers? That's on top of going to the doctor to get medical care, dealing with the insurance company for the driver that caused the accident, coordinating insurance benefits, taking care of your family, working, and educating yourself about how to handle a claim. Simply, most people figure that their time is more valuable than that and an attorney adds value knowing how to navigate through these various tasks and taking the burden off them. As discussed above, if one of these steps or issues gets neglected and the necessary preparation work is not done, it makes it extremely difficult to meet your burden of proof whether you're negotiating or litigating a claim.

Call us at 877.424.5547 or Contact Us Online to discuss your case. We'll review with you whether we can add value to your claim above what you might be able to do for yourself. If we can't, we'll bluntly tell you why and what you can do to protect your rights. Although our office does not accept every case that contacts us, we want to make sure that when we do get involved we add value for you so that in the end you feel like it was a productive relationship where you would feel comfortable referring your family and friends. We would appreciate the opportunity to review whether we can assist you and your family with any accident claim.