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Auto Insurance Companies Are Not Your Friends

By: Charles R. Mathis IV, Esq

“I only looked away for a second,” says the driver who just crashed their car into yours. That second, unfortunately, may profoundly change your life. Now, through no fault of your own, you have a wrecked car, injuries, pain, inability to work, inability to do things that you are obligated to do and inability to enjoy what you once enjoyed. So, what’s next? What do you do now? To whom do you turn? We caution you: Do not trust the other driver’s automobile insurance company.

Shortly after the accident, most likely, you will be contacted by an insurance company representative on behalf of the at fault driver, who will try to convince you to settle your claim. The insurance company will tell you that you bear some responsibility for the accident, that your injuries are not serious, that you will have to wait a long time before you receive any money if you hire a lawyer and sue, and that you will receive a nice settlement check in thirty days if you agree to settle now. During this conversation, remember that the insurance company is not your friend, but your adversary. Insurance companies are in business to make money and by paying you less money to settle your claim, they make more money. Because that is their objective, there exists an inherent conflict of interest between what is best for you and what is best for the insurance company. The insurance company does not want you to hire a lawyer because that interferes with its objective of paying you as little money as possible. The Insurance Research Council published a report entitled “Attorney Involvement in Auto Injury Claims” which found that persons injured in auto accidents who hire lawyers receive settlements about 3.5 times larger than those who settle without hiring a lawyer. That is why insurance companies want you to settle quickly before you hire a lawyer.

An experienced automobile accident attorney will protect your rights and do what is right for you. The attorney and their team will help gather evidence about the accident, assess who is at fault, help you obtain the appropriate medical treatment, and fight to recover the fair amount of money to which you are entitled. The insurance company will do none of these things.

If you are injured in an auto accident, soon after the initial trauma subsides, you should contact a lawyer to protect your rights. The attorneys at Maggs McDermott & DiCicco are ready to help you. We provide a free initial consultation and do not charge a fee unless we recover money for you. Click here for more information and what to do next if you are in a Car Accident.

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