After an accident, you may wonder if you should hire an Personal Injury attorney for an insurance claim. You may want to call an attorney especially if there was significant damage or injury. But if the accident was “minor” with no injury, you just think “Well I am inconvenienced but I can suck it up.” You patiently wait for your car to be back from the repair shop and get on with life. You might feel like hiring an attorney might just be overkill. But to be sure it can not hurt to call a law firm like Paxton Law in Houston to be sure you may be entitled to greater compensation than the insurance company may offer.
The insurance company’s goal is to avoid making any payouts. You may get a settlement offer, but it probably will be far below your needs. Frequently an insurer places blame on the claimant to deny your claim. In other words, you caused the damage that you’re filing a claim for, so they can dismiss your claim without payment. An attorney can better advise you on what you may be entitled to than the nice insurance adjuster.
Ideal Time When to Consult with an Attorney
Ideally, you should at least consult with an attorney at the outset of your case, within the first 30 days after the date of the accident for which you’re filing a claim. The attorney may even suggest filing the claim yourself, knowing you can retain an attorney at any time during the claims process.
Larger claims become more complicated. You’re not required to have an attorney, but what you don’t know about filing a Texas insurance claim can cost you dearly. An experienced car accident lawyer like Richard Paxton or his associate Michael Mendoza, will know how to negotiate on your behalf as well as represent you at trial if it comes to that. If an Insurance company knows you do not have legal representation, they will work harder to reduce your settlement or deny your claim.
Conversely, an insurance company is more likely to offer a better settlement to a plaintiff who is represented by an attorney, especially if you hire the attorney prior to the settlement process. If a plaintiff and their attorney take the case to trial, anything can happen—and the insurer knows they will likely have to pay a lot more than a settlement.
When It’s Time To Hire Your Attorney
When to call or hire an Personal Injury Attorney:
- If you’ve tried to handle your claim on your own but your insurance company is stalling or balking or lowballing, it’s time to call an attorney. Remember that the insurance company has its own high-powered legal team protecting its interests. You have the right to legal representation, no matter what they tell you.
- Should your claim be denied outright, of course, you should hire an attorney for an appeal. The appeals process is complicated, and you’ll want to make sure that everything is done exactly right. There may be a limited time to file an appeal, so call right away.
- If you or the other party suffer serious injuries or if there was a fatality involved. This is more than a routine accident claim. Contact an attorney immediately. If your loved one was injured and are incapacitated and cannot call an attorney, make that call on their behalf! Claims that include considerable losses such as major medical bills, rehabilitative services or sadly wrongful death will require the services of a good attorney to ensure that the claim is properly handled.
Your Houston Insurance Claim Attorney – Paxton Law
If you have questions about an insurance claim, call the Paxton Law Firm. Let us review your case and advise you if you need to retain us now or later or not at all. The call or consultation is free. The Paxton Law Firm believes in representing their client’s rights and taking the stress of dealing with your insurance claims. Our goal is to turn a negative situation into the best possible outcome allowable. We offer free consultations, and you do not pay any legal fees until we recover for you.
The Paxton Law Firm and attorneys Richard Paxton and Michael Mendoza believe in taking on your legal battles and will fight for you. For Espanol INICIO and CONTÁCTENOS EN