Why do I need a personal injury lawyer if the insurance company of the person who caused the accident I was in has offered me a settlement?

While it’s nice that they offered you a settlement for your injuries, insurance companies are noted to hustle to get claimants to settle early and for less than they are entitled to in a settlement or court case. This is because insurance companies are a business and their bottom line is always to “make” money, and payout as little as possible. They are notorious for attempting to use your own words against you and trying to reduce or even deny your claim.

If you attempt to settle with them, you are not going to get a fair settlement and in fact, could be losing thousands of dollars that you may otherwise be entitled to receive. This is another reason to retain a personal injury lawyer. Legal counsel can and does raise the stakes for insurance companies trying to lowball injured plaintiffs.

Never forget that insurance companies are never looking out for “your” best interests. They are looking out for their best interests. This is the case even if the adjuster that calls you sounds reasons and is very caring and concerned about your injuries and how you are doing. Be wary. They are only out to protect their bottom line, not yours. Their business is to collect premiums, increase their revenue each year, and pay out as little as possible. 

If you do agree to a settlement they offered, you cannot open the case again if you discover you need further surgeries or that your recovery is going to take longer than expected. Make no mistake, what an insurance company offers you in the way of a settlement means you are giving up your rights to fair compensation – compensation that an experienced personal injury attorney can help you to obtain. 

So, if the insurance company representative or adjuster calls you, do not speak to them. Simply give them the name of your attorney. If you do not have one when they call, tell them you are in the process of hiring one and that when one is on board, they are going to return the call. 

Never, repeat never, talk about the details of the accident in any way, shape, or form. Keep your opinions and thoughts to yourself and only discuss them with your attorney. Do not allow the adjuster to pressure you into making any comments on the accident or your injuries or your recovery or any previous existing injuries you may have. 

If the lawyer for the other party involved in the accident calls, do not have any conversation with them other than to refer them to your attorney. Do not talk about the accident. Do not post anything about it online. Give the caller your attorney’s name and phone number and politely hang up. Once the other side knows you have engaged the services of an attorney they are banned from calling you. That said, it could still happen, so just refuse to speak to them and only speak to “your” personal injury attorney.