A recent settlement is a prime example of why you need an attorney:
An old friend who is also an attorney recently reached out to me for help because he felt like he was getting nowhere with the insurance company after a serious car accident. At that time, the insurance company was not disputing that their driver was at fault for the accident but was only offering around $4,000 to settle the case. I agreed to review his file to see if I could help.
It was clear from the outset that the insurance company was not treating my friend fairly. We agreed to handle the matter for him and had only a short time before the 1-year deadline. In less than
24 hours
of our law firm being hired, the insurance company completely changed its tune and paid its full policy limits. That was all it took—one letter and one phone call. Why? Because they knew that they were wrong, and they knew that we were going file suit to collect.
Then, we discovered additional insurance coverage, which was triggered by the car accident. Within 2 weeks that insurance company paid its full policy limits.
In the end, my friend, attorney, and now client who was about to accept the $4,000 simply because he was tired of dealing with the insurance company settled his case for over $115,000.00.
So, do you need an attorney to handle your car accident claim? No, you can do it if you would like; but you would be crazy not to.