Indeed, folks who have not experienced significant injuries can often handle their claims independently without being represented by an attorney. However, it is almost always unwise to delay hiring an attorney if you have suffered a serious injury. 

Examples of a serious injury include:

• Traumatic brain injury 
• A disabling neck or back injury
• Broken or fractured bones
• Significant lacerations
• Burn injuries
• Or any other injury that appears will keep you out of work for weeks, if not months.

Why do I feel it is necessary to hire an attorney in these circumstances? It’s pretty simple. If you have suffered severe injuries, the stakes will be much higher, and your case will be more complicated. Insurance companies are in business to make profits. Their goal is to make as much money as possible. Insurance companies make money by charging as much in premiums as possible and by paying out as little as possible on claims. Every year, insurance companies make billions in profits by paying out much less than they take in.  

If an insurance company knows that you have suffered a severe injury, you have painted a big red bulls-eye on your forehead. It will be the goal of that insurance company to utilize its resources to pay you as little as possible on your claim. Because you are now the target, you need someone to help defend you from the many tricks and traps that the insurance company will throw your way.

Remember in an earlier post when I talked about the “Good Cop/Bad Cop”? The “Good Cop” is the adjuster who calls or emails you early on. If the Good Cop is not successful in getting you to settle early, you will now get very rapidly introduced to the “Bad Cop.”  

While the “Good Cop’s” goal is to get you to sign off early or stay out of an attorney’s office, it is the “Bad Cop’s” to find any way to pay you little or nothing on your case.  

• The “Bad Cop” will be looking to take a recorded statement from you in hopes that you will say something wrong that they later will be able to use against you.  
• The “Bad Cop” will be trying to find out if you have ever had another injury (even many years before), and they will try to claim your accident injuries are due to your old injuries (even if you fully recovered from those old injuries)
• The “Bad Cop” will be out at the accident scene, taking photos and taking measurements. At the same time, they will be discouraging you from seeing a lawyer who would send their investigator to take pictures and develop evidence to support your case.  

You see, the “Good Cop” wants to keep you from getting good early advice from an attorney. They want to keep that attorney from performing the necessary early investigation to identify witnesses and to secure other evidence supporting your side of the case. Later, when the “Bad Cop” shows up on the scene, you are left in a horrible position. While the insurance company has all the information they need to protect themselves, you, on the other hand, have no information to protect yourself adequately. This blog series aims to explain the need for prompt action if you have sustained a severe injury in an accident.

Request a free consultation so you can learn about your rights in a personal injury claim

You do not have to feel like you are at the mercy of the insurance companies after you have sustained an injury in a car crash, Learn about your legal rights today. Schedule a free, no obligation consultation, with an experienced, New York & Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer. 

Contact the Ziff Law Firm now by calling (800) 943-3529 or emailing us at info@zifflaw.com. Whether you hire our car crash lawyers or not, we will give you the guidance you need to deal with the consequences of your car crash injuries. Please call us now.