Dealing with Insurance Companies after a Car Accident
If you have been involved in a car accident, the question ultimately is raised, “Should I hire a car accident attorney”. The answer to this question is a resounding “Yes.” The very basic premise behind this answer involves protecting your legal rights and the legal rights of your loved ones when you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident. This article will briefly address why it is imperative to hire a St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney immediately after a car accident to help you deal with the various insurance companies that may be involved in the investigation and handling of your car accident claim.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, one of the first things we tell our clients to do (if they haven’t already done so) is to immediately report the car accident to their insurance company. Timely notifying your insurance company if you have been involved in a car accident is a requirement of your policy. If you choose to do this on your own, the insurance company may attempt to get you to make statements which could adversely impact your claim for injuries. For example, they will inquire whether you or your passengers were injured or have sought medical care. Trust us, the insurance company, even if it’s your own, is not looking to protect you; they are looking to pay as little as possible, if anything. When you immediately hire a St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney, we will immediately contact your insurance on your behalf as well as the insurance company for the at-fault driver. Once your St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney is involved in your case, insurance companies are required to communicate with you through our office – they cannot directly contact you.
Sometimes, insurance companies will request recorded statements. While these statements are not under oath, they are an attempt by the insurance company to investigate your accident and identify any weaknesses in your injury claim. Your St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney will be able to help you prepare for your recorded statement so you will know what to expect and be on the lookout for common tricks insurance adjusters try to use.
During the claims process, your medical treatment is the paramount concern. Your St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney will be obtaining your medical records and keeping the various insurance companies up to speed on your injuries, diagnosis and prognosis. Once you and your providers have reached a point in your recovery which enables us to have a clear picture of the value of your case, we will work with you in preparing a compelling demand package to submit to the responsible insurance carriers. If you chose to attempt settlement negotiations on you own, without an attorney, you are at a severe disadvantage because the seasoned insurance adjuster knows that an unrepresented car accident victim is not aware of all of the benefits they are entitled to or the total value of their case. Additionally, if you choose to attempt negotiations on your own, the insurance adjuster knows that if a settlement is not reached, you are not in a position to take the next step which is filing suit.
By hiring a St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney, you are gaining our experience and knowledge base in how to optimize the value of your car accident injury claim. You are also gaining the reputation of a firm which has been representing clients in St. Petersburg and throughout the Tampa Bay area for over 60 years. The insurance companies know us, and they know that we will not settle for less than a case is worth. If a car accident injury claim needs to have a lawsuit filed, the insurance companies know that we will file lawsuits on behalf of our clients and take the case to trial if necessary.
Let us put our knowledge, experience and reputation to work for you in your car accident injury claim. After a car accident, you will need to focus on your physical recovery. Hiring a St. Petersburg Car Accident Attorney to help you deal with the insurance companies during the claims process, negotiations and potential lawsuit is critical. If you, or anyone you know have been involved in a car accident, do not wait – contact the St. Petersburg Personal Injury Attorneys McQuaid & Douglas for a free consultation.
