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You are here: Home / Blog / Should You Try Handling Your Own Car Accident Claim?

Should You Try Handling Your Own Car Accident Claim?

June 4, 2019 by Christopher

Many car accident victims think about representing their own case, particularly if they believe the accident was fairly straightforward.

st. louis car accident scene

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.

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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.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Car Accident Claims

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    Copyright © 2021 The Hoffmann Law Firm L.L.C.
    The images included on this site are not actual attorneys, events, or clients. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.Attorney Chris Hoffmann handles car and truck accident claims throughout Eastern Missouri and Western Illinois. He represents injured clients in St. Louis, St. Charles, St. Peters, Clayton, East St. Louis, Alton, Hillsboro and Belleville, and other cities in St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and Jefferson Country, MO, and St. Clair County and Madison County, IL.