Archive for August, 2011
Why Hiring an Attorney After a Truck Accident May be in Your Best Interest
Why Hiring an Attorney After a Truck Accident May Be In Your Best Interest
A truck accident can be a life-changing event. If the accident results in serious damages you may want to consider speaking with an attorney. Let’s be clear, though: Truck accidents do not always warrant an attorney. Minor fender-benders with little damage do not require the services of an attorney. If you are involved in a major accident with serious damages you should consider meeting with an attorney, especially if you are engaged in conversations with insurance companies.
After a truck accident, a representative of the trucker’s insurance company will usually contact you in order to collect information, but also to try to establish a rapport with you. They do this so that they may be able to convince you to do things. They may want you to sign documents, give statements, or even discourage you from hiring an attorney for help settling the claim.
Insurance company representatives will often suggest that you do not need an attorney because “we can just work this out together.” You need to realize that there is no “we” in these situations – the insurance company representative is not really your friend and is not motivated to make sure that you receive fair compensation. The insurance company representative is discouraging you from hiring a lawyer because insurance industry statistics demonstrate that it costs an insurance company an average of $9,000 more per claim when an attorney is advocating for the injured person. Courts and regulators in a number of states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, have ordered insurance companies to stop the unfair tactic of discouraging accident victims from going to attorneys and learning about their rights.
To learn about other tactics insurance companies use against truck accident victims, go to Iowa Truck Accident Facts to download a free 35-page guide.
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