QuestionI was not at fault I was hit at an intersection by a vehicle that was speeding down the wrong way street. I have been at the doc since taking pain meds and therapy visits three times a week.Had to take some time off of work. Should I be seeking a injury attorney at this point or wait until all the tests,MRI's,xrays are complete verifying any internal damage. Reside under a PIP state.
AnswerHi Joe
I am going to make a guess that if the tortfeasor was speeding, you got hit pretty hard. Hence, one can expect your injuries to take some time to heal. So I would not be in any hurry to get this thing resolved. I will specifically address that topic for you later on.
But as for the only question you asked, I would wait until your test results are in and you have undergone a bit more in treatments before you see an attorney. The reason being: the attorney will then have a much better handle on your damages so she can advise you what course she expects your case to travel as an insurance claim.
In the meantime, perhaps you could take a few weeks to learn about how thousands of others settle their own insurance claims www.SettlementCentral.Com online using demand letters and forms to communicate with the insurance adjuster and the doctors. Of course you can toss the following out and not read it if you know in advance that you are unwilling to devote the time to represent yourself. Do-it-yourself insurance claims are NOT for everyone since many people are so busy they would rather give up one-third of their gross (i.e. INCLUDING 1/3rd medical expenses) recovery to an attorney. It is strictly YOUR choice, but I would not be doing a good job for you, Joe, if I did not at least expose you to another world you had not heretofore thought of.
I will now give you a list of pages to read for general info on the claims process, AND then conclude with one last paragraph pleading for you to send e-mails vice using the phone.
I am going to give you a lot of links to see if you feel you want learn how to make your own insurance settlement with free legal auto insurance information www.SettlementCentral.Com Learn DO IT YOURSELF INSURANCE CLAIM SETTLEMENTS
OK, Joe, let’s look at self-help methods of resolving your claim. Learn how to settle your personal injury insurance claim AND DO IT YOURSELF.
Here is a series of pages that you can review. Take what makes sense to you and don't worry about the rest. Just get a flavor of how the system works without spending a ton of time right now.
Just skim this one and don't spend much time on it: overview Tort Law Personal Injury Legal Claims http://www.settlementcentral.com/page3000.htm
Managing Medical Care After Auto Accident: http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0203.htm
Medical Care Documentation-the Key to Successful Personal Injury Insurance Claim Settlements http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0217.htm
Keys to a MAXIMUM INSURANCE INJURY CLAIM SETTLEMENT http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0089.htm
Use a Confidential Personal Injury Diary for TOP DOLLAR Insurance Claim Settlements http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0208.htm
Outline of questions to be expected from insurance claims adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0190.htm
Detailed listing of questions to be expected from insurance claims adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0207.htm
By the way, did you know that getting an early settlement is a favorite trick of the insurance adjusters? Please see my website wherein we show Insurance Claim Adjuster Secret Tactics http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0092.htm
Responding to Settlement Offer From Insurance Claims Adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0244.htm
Do It Yourself Advantages, or do these claims need an attorney? As for an ATTORNEY, this does not seem to be a case that involves any legal issues in dispute nor any large or complex damages. Why should you pay someone one-third to do what you can do yourself? Do-It-Yourself Personal Injury Claims; Eliminate Personal Injury Attorneys' Fees; Save Thousands of Dollars Settling Your Own Insurance Claim http://www.settlementcentral.com/page3011.htm
Without having to join my website, I have given a lot of free information on handling insurance claims without having to join as a member. Read the module at "5 Easy Steps to Do-it-Yourself Insurance Claim Settlement" http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0102.htm
This stuff is not rocket science, but it will take some effort on your part to read and cut and paste letter examples and to communicate. But hundreds of people are doing it each day, and they are getting good results.
What if you get only two-thirds the way to your settlement goal? Well, you can get as big a settlement as you can and then turn it over to an attorney and save a lot of fees. Thus, you could go it alone just to get an insurance settlement offer, and then take that insurance settlement offer to a personal injury attorney, thus exempting the amount of the offer from her fees. Do It Yourself Personal Injury Settlement Offer Reduces Personal Injury Attorney Fees http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0109.htm
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FINAL TOPIC, Joe: Effective communication with insurance claims adjusters. Establish Firm, Professional, and Positive Relationships With the Insurance Injury Claims Adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0059.htm
Always communicate with the adjuster in writing, showing your own analysis of value. It is OK I guess to have one call or so, but no more. E-mail is the best way to go, IMHO. Always have your information and ammunition in writing to give to the adjuster.
Let her know that you are FIRM IN YOUR RESOLVE to get what you are demanding (NOT "asking", since that invites a counter-offer, but instead "demanding" as fair and reasonable compensation) by asking her what the options are to resolve the matter fairly should she not agree to a reasonable claim value. In other words, let her know that you will go through with a court filing if need be.
Remember these tips, do your homework, print out your evidence, show resolve to get your fair settlement, and you will DO JUST FINE.
I trust that my extra time here has produced some information that has been of value to you, and thus I would respectfully request that you take the time to locate the FEEDBACK FORM on this site and leave some feedback for me.
Best Wishes,
Dr. Settlement, J.D. (Juris Doctor)
http://www.SettlementCentral.Com
