Someone that feels comfortable and confident, while negotiating with an insurance adjuster might think that he or she does not need to spend money on a lawyer, after becoming involved in a car accident. Still, lawyers carry out multiple tasks, in addition to representing a client during pre-settlement negotiations.
The nature of the attorney’s knowledge
Lawyers know a great deal about the law. By the same token, those injury lawyers in Waterdown have acquired a great deal of insight into the procedural rules that exist within the legal system. They are aware of the deadlines that have been stated in a given state’s statute of limitations.
Services provided by a personal injury attorney
During the early stages of the pre-settlement negotiations, an attorney’s chief tasks involve collecting evidence and helping the client to compose a demand letter. An effective demand letter should contain information on the police report, any witness’ statements, the client’s relevant medical records and details on the client’s wages.
The collected evidence should serve as added support for the client’s claim. In addition, each of the collected evidentiary items could be mentioned in the demand letter. Once adjusters have received a demand letter, each of them prepares a response. Lawyers can help their clients to construct the reply to an adjuster’s response, including one that has pointed to weaknesses that were found in a given client’s demand letter.
Sometimes, an insurance adjuster delays the issuance of a response. A claimant has reason to object to an unnecessary delay. A lawyer’s assistance might be used to keep the process moving along, thus getting closer to the time of settlement. That assistance could come in the form of a lawsuit, one that had been filed by the client’s attorney.
As negotiations were getting both parties closer to the endpoint, the insurance company might pressure the client to settle. At that point, a lawyer’s guidance could prove most helpful. That is the time when a smart claimant should refuse to settle until he or she has managed to attain maximum medical improvement (MMI).
All clients hope to get their money as quickly as possible. Still, no client/claimant wants to discover some symptom or complication after having released the insurance company from responsibility for any further post-accident, medical problems. Yet insurance companies ask for a signed release form, before agreeing to deliver to a given client a promised compensation package.
In fact, a listing of lawyers’ services includes one that focuses on getting clients compensated for future medical costs. That is, of course, just the reverse of what the typical insurance company has in mind. Consequently, injured claimants have good reason to think seriously about hiring a personal injury attorney.