You are driving in Milwaukee near American Family Field or Pabst Mansion. Suddenly, a truck runs a red light and slams into your car’s left side. You have a concussion and a broken arm. It is clear the other driver was at fault, so maybe you should try to negotiate a settlement with their insurance company.
You should only negotiate a personal injury settlement with an attorney. Learn why it’s best to hire an attorney below. Then contact our Wisconsin personal injury attorneys at Martin Law Office, S.C., for help with your case.
The most significant problem people have with settling their personal injury case is this: money. Unfortunately, most people are not personal injury attorneys and do not know what their case is worth.
For example, if you have a broken arm and concussion, you could have tens of thousands of dollars of lost wages, medical bills, and rehabilitation. You will not know how much your medical care will cost in the future, either. Unfortunately, talking to the insurance company without an attorney means you will likely settle the case without considering your future medical costs.
Most laypeople need to learn what pain and suffering are worth. Pain and suffering are subjective, and your attorney will fight to get you compensation for your discomfort and pain. Your attorney will know what a fair settlement looks like. If the insurance company has not offered enough, they will demand more or threaten a lawsuit.
Almost all personal injury attorneys are paid by contingency agreement. This means they are paid a percentage of your settlement or jury award. The percentage is usually between 25% and 33%, plus legal costs..
This means the attorney is highly motivated to get you more money. As a result, most injured clients get more money with an attorney than they could get on their own, including legal fees and expenses.
Remember that personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation, so it is easy to find out if you have a case. Because the consultation is free, you have nothing to lose by getting legal advice. At worst, you got free legal information.
It is a difficult time when you are hurt and low on money after a car accident. You are in pain, anxious, and perhaps even depressed. You need money to pay your medical and other bills.
As you can imagine, there are better situations to go into insurance settlement negotiations. The insurance company will know if a personal injury attorney does not represent you. So, they will offer you as little money as possible. The idea is to encourage someone injured and who needs money to settle for a fraction of the case’s value.
Insurance companies stay in business by taking in more premiums than they pay. Let your attorney negotiate if you want the company to pay you as much as possible. They know what the case is worth and can threaten to go to court, often encouraging the insurance company to pay.
Another problem with not hiring a lawyer is when there is shared liability for the accident. If you are partially at fault for the car accident that broke your arm, the insurance company will try to pay you as little as they can. They will argue that you were primarily responsible for the accident. In Wisconsin, there is a comparative negligence standard in auto accidents, meaning you will not get as much money if you were partially liable.
Your attorney will fight to reduce your liability in the accident to get you more money. They know how to use accident evidence to your advantage. With an attorney fighting on your side, you will probably get more money and have less liability for the incident.
A car accident claim is only strong if conclusive evidence shows the defendant was liable. An attorney will conduct a complete investigation of the crash and gather all necessary evidence to build the case. Some of the evidence the attorney will gather that you may not have access to includes:
Even if you know about most of the evidence, you most likely need to learn how to leverage that information into a higher personal injury settlement. Your attorney also can hire an accident reconstruction expert to show the other driver was liable for your injuries.
An attorney will show you your settlement options and compare them to a possible jury verdict. You will only know this information if you have a lawyer at your side.
It takes a skilled and experienced personal injury attorney to know if it is better to settle or go to court. If you do not have a lawyer, you may be tempted to settle for any amount of money. That is usually a mistake and could leave you short of cash if your injuries take a long time to heal.
Were you recently injured in an accident because of someone’s negligence? Perhaps you want to talk to their insurance company and negotiate a settlement. It is a mistake to negotiate a personal injury settlement without an attorney!
Most injured parties need help understanding what their cases are worth, and the insurance company will take advantage of you. But, with the help of a Wisconsin personal injury lawyer at Martin Law Office, S.C., you can get the compensation you deserve.
Our attorneys serve injured clients throughout Wisconsin and in Oak Creek, Milwaukee, New Berlin, Mount Pleasant, South Milwaukee, Racine, Franklin, West Allis, and Wauwatosa. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation about your personal injury case.
