Many people who are injured in car wrecks attempt to handle their own personal injury claims. This can be a costly mistake. By talking to an insurance company representative without a lawyer's advice, you could end up damaging your case.
At the law firm of Gilder & Howell, P.A., in Southaven, our Southaven car accident injury lawyers represent auto accident victims in north Mississippi and west Tennessee. We offer a free initial consultation to review your case, and there is no obligation to retain our services after speaking with our firm.
Negotiating With Insurance Companies
Our firm strongly advises that you consult with an attorney before taking matters into your own hands. There are many pitfalls for people who attempt to negotiate their own personal injury claims, and we have seen many individuals who unknowingly received less compensation than their claim was truly worth. For example:
- Your medical insurance company will file a lien on your personal injury claim with the insurance company. If you settle your claim without negotiating with your medical insurance company, you could end up paying your entire settlement to your medical insurance company. Our lawyers will negotiate with the insurance company to ensure that you end up with money in your pocket.
- In Mississippi, drivers are only required to carry $25,000 in liability insurance. If you have suffered a serious injury, this will not be enough to cover your damages. If you settle with the liability carrier and release the driver, you may permanently affect your ability to recover from any other source. Our lawyers will look for all possible sources of coverage, including your own coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists and stacked coverage.
- In Mississippi, your recovery will be reduced by any percentage of fault that can be assigned to you. Even if the other driver was at fault, his or her insurance company will immediately look for ways to assign a percentage of fault to you.
- Adjusters only do one thing. If you allow an adjuster to take your statement, you may prevent your ability to recover against the insurance company the adjuster works for.
It's important to remember that the insurance company adjuster is not your friend. Anything you say to the adjuster can and will be used to minimize the value of your claim. Insurance companies try to resolve disputes quickly and try to get injured parties to sign off on a settlement that usually undervalues their claim. Do not let this happen to you.
Contact Our Southaven and Olive Branch Auto Crash Attorneys
For a free and confidential consultation, call our Southaven car accident attorneys at 662-655-2115 or contact our accident injury law firm online today. There are no fees unless we recover compensation for you.
