Finding Someone Who Can Be On Your Side

When you're injured in a car accident but you are not at fault for the accident, you are entitled to a financial settlement from the other driver's insurance company. Unfortunately, insurance companies typically try to do whatever they can to deny a claim or pay out a settlement that is small as possible. If you want to maximize your settlement, the best thing that you can do is hire an experienced automobile injury lawyer. There are several reasons that a lawyer can secure a higher settlement, such as:

1. Understanding What a Claim is Worth

One reason that insurance companies get away with paying out small settlements is because victims who are not represented by an attorney rarely have any idea of what type of settlement they actually deserve. Thus, the insurance company offers a very low-ball settlement, a person will accept it, and then documents will be signed saying that the victim can file a lawsuit in the future.

Automobile injury lawyers know what an injury claim is worth, so they will not allow their clients to be taken advantage of. When you have a lawyer, you can count on him or her to fight with the insurance company on your behalf until you get a settlement that is fair.

2. Building Up Evidence

It is not uncommon for insurance companies to claim that there is not enough proof of liability for the accident, which can lead to a denial or an offer of a very meager claim. Most people who don't have a lawyer have no idea of how to collect the evidence needed to prove liability, so they just accept what the insurance company has to say.

On the other hand, an experienced automobile injury lawyer will have a plan to build a solid case that not only proves liability but also forces the insurance company to offer a fair settlement to avoid a lawsuit. A lawyer will typically collect police reports, interview witnesses, provide your medical records, invest in having the accident recreated, and even hire expert witnesses, if necessary.

3. Negotiating Skills

An automobile injury lawyer is trained to have exceptional negotiating skills, and those skills are used on a daily basis when communicating with insurance companies on behalf of their clients. Most people without the training and experience of a reputable automobile injury lawyer do not possess the same type of negotiating skills. A great lawyer uses these skills to his or her advantage to push towards the largest settlement possible for a client.