This is a question that many people asked themselves after they have been injured in an auto or truck accident. Particularly when an adjuster calls and indicates it looks like the accident was their insured's fault and that compensation should be forthcoming.
The reality of the situation is that the adjuster is paid to pay as little as they possibly can for the claim. If the adjuster pays $.20 on the dollar, he or she may very well earn a bonus for the quarter.
Many people call the law firm after such assurances by an adjuster only to learn that what the adjuster had in mind for reasonable compensation was really a joke. It is then, often six months to a year later that the people first realize they need a reputable personal injury lawyer.
Unfortunately, the longer the victim waits to seek professional help on his truck accident case, the more damage done to the insurance claim.
Critical evidence that was available early on is often now gone. Witnesses have been interviewed with leading questions designed to shift responsibility from the truck driver to the victim. Crash data often is lost in the shuffle. Trucking companies only have to keep select documents so long.
Frequently, people with serious injuries hesitate to hire a personal injury attorney because they do not want to be viewed as litigious. However, once they hear what the insurance company really wants to do they realize they need a trial lawyer.
Some people believe that the contingency fee that attorneys charge would only reduce what they would receive anyway. That just isn't the case.
Many factors go into how an insurance company values a claim, and one of those is the reputation of the lawyer handling the case. Another factor is what they anticipate a jury may do. Neither of these important factors are a part of the equation when there is not a reputable lawyer involved.
People who attempt to handle a serious injury case themselves soon learn that without a lawyer what they get for the injuries is only what the insurance company wants to give them. In short, it is a great mistake to believe that an adjuster you are dealing with will be fair.
Greg Baumgartner is a truck accident lawyer in Houston and handles select truck accident, auto accident and wrongful death cases. If you or a loved one has been in a bad accident and would like to speak with a Houston accident attorney call the Baumgartner law firm.
Similar posts:
http://www.texas-truck-wreck-attorney.com/2010/01/quick-response-team.html
