Many car accident victims think about representing their own case, particularly if they believe the accident was fairly straightforward.
After a St. Louis car accident, you may want to file an insurance claim to get compensated for your injuries and damages. If the accident wasn’t your fault, it only makes sense to hold the person responsible liable, right?
A lot of victims think about the option of representing their own case, particularly if they believe the accident was fairly straightforward. However, that would be a mistake and a costly one at that.
Why You Shouldn’t Represent Yourself
Think about you and your knowledge before you start filing insurance claims:
- How familiar are you with Missouri traffic laws?
- How well do you know how insurance companies operate, and how the claims process goes?
- What do you need to build a compelling case?
You need to have a good understanding of Missouri law to be able to represent yourself. Even if you think the case seems easy, and the other driver agrees they were at-fault, you generally won’t be dealing with them directly – you’ll be dealing with insurance adjusters.
As such, you’re at a disadvantage right from the beginning. Adjusters know the law and the process for awarding compensation. If you go through this process by yourself, they can legitimately assume you lack this knowledge and try to use it against you.
In fact, if you choose to go through this process without a lawyer, you are effectively giving the insurance company good news. For them, this entire process is a business transaction, and the only way for them to come out on top is by giving you the least amount of compensation possible.
Because of your lack of experience, you may not even know how much compensation you should rightfully get, which gives insurance adjusters the opportunity to offer a low-ball deal. And the chances that you’ll take it are extremely high.
Why You Should Work with a Lawyer
A good St. Louis car accident lawyer increases your chances of getting properly compensated tremendously. For one thing, they have enough experience with these types of cases to know how much you should receive based on your injuries, damages, and other details of the case, and actively negotiate for it with the insurance company.
An experienced lawyer can help make sure your rights are protected. You may wish to skip hiring one because you’re afraid of lawyer fees, but know that most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency. As such, it is also in their interest to get you the highest amount possible.
Schedule a FREE Consultation
At this time, you should focus on healing and getting over this incident, not trying to make sense of the intricacies of insurance claims. If you’re looking to be compensated, reach out to a St. Louis car injury attorney to discuss all your legal options. Based on your case, they can point out the best course of action you should take. Give us a call today at (314) 361-4242.