If getting top dollar auto accident compensation is your goal…
Settling your car accident claim without legal assistance is one of the worst mistakes you can make. Millions of people do it each year—and they drastically reduce their settlement amount by refusing help.
There were over 39k car accident deaths in 2024 alone according to NHTSA’s latest numbers. Lives ruined and lost by failing to seek justice.
The crashes that don’t kill you tend to lead to agonizing fights with insurance companies instead.
That’s why…
Insurance companies push every angle they can to pay out the least amount possible.
And when injured victims try to settle their own claim? Insurance companies light up like a Christmas tree.
Let’s dive into why you should never consider settling without legal help.
What You’ll Learn
- Why Insurance Companies Love Unrepresented Claimants
- How You Lose By Settling Without A Lawyer
- Lowballing Tactics Insurance Companies Use
- How Attorneys Get You Maximum Auto Accident Compensation
Why Insurance Companies Love Unrepresented Claimants
Think about it…
An insurance company deals with thousands of claims each year. Their adjusters are skilled negotiators who know how to pay out as little as possible.
Hand that adjuster an unrepresented claimant and you’ve basically given them yourself.
Lowball offers happen every day to people who try to settle without an attorney. According to research from Martindale-Nolo, claimants who hire an attorney receive more than 3x the compensation from insurance companies on average.
That should be enough for most people. Seeking legal representation for car accidents is the single most impactful step anyone can take to protect their auto accident compensation. But here’s the thing…
Insurance companies know most accident victims won’t seek legal help.
Without a skilled attorney fighting for them, victims just don’t understand their compensation rights. And insurance companies benefit from that.
Insurance adjusters go to school to know how to settle claims as quickly as possible for as little money as possible. You know who else benefits from quick settlements? Insurance companies.
Without an attorney, you’re destined to get lowballed.
How You Lose By Settling Without A Lawyer
There are two huge problems with trying to settle a car accident claim on your own…
First, you significantly reduce your settlement amount by rushing to settle.
Did you know that most accident injuries take weeks to manifest themselves? Whiplash symptoms, soft tissue injuries, concussions… they all take time to become full-blown problems.
When you settle your claim early, you’re opening yourself up for “surprise” injuries later that you won’t be able to receive compensation for.
By waiting to settle, your attorney can ensure that you get the most compensation possible for your injuries.
Second, most people don’t know how to properly calculate their damages.
For anyone who hasn’t been through a car accident claim, this might sound confusing.
But when you factor in all of the damage from an accident, your settlement should be MUCH higher than you think.
Here’s what attorneys factor into your claim:
- Medical expenses (current and future)
- Lost wages (including loss of future earning capacity)
- Pain and suffering (non-economic damages)
- Property damage
And that’s just scratching the surface. When you add everything up, car accident compensation should be SO much higher than your first insurance payment.
Lowballing Tactics Insurance Companies Use
Insurance companies treat car accident claims like a TV sitcom. They have a playbook. And they go through the whole thing on every claim.
When you know what they’re doing, you can fight back to get maxed out auto accident compensation.
Let’s review the most common tactics:
- Quick Settlement Offer. This is usually done within days of the accident. Adjusters try to “low-ball” you into thinking you’re getting a lot of money… when in reality, it’s nowhere near enough to cover your damages.
- Adjusters will try to claim you’re partially at fault. Even if you’re 99% not at fault, they’ll lie through their teeth to try and recover some of the losses from you. Comparative negligence laws allow insurers to pay out less depending on who’s at fault.
- Insurers love to downplay your injuries as “minor” or “pre-existing”. This tactic plays directly into lowering the value of your claim and is SUPER common with soft-tissue injuries.
- Delay Tactics. Everything takes forever when dealing with insurance companies. They use this to their advantage to pressure you into settling.
There are plenty more, but you get the point…
Insurance companies love unrepresented claimants because they can bust out these tactics and wait for you to fall right into their hands.
How Attorneys Get You Maximum Auto Accident Compensation
You might be thinking…
Well, how does a lawyer help with all of this?
It’s a fair question. A LOT goes into getting you the maximum amount of compensation possible.
Here are just a few of the things your attorney does that you can’t:
- Handles all communications. Ever heard of a recorded statement? Insurance adjusters love using your own words against you later on.
- Knows how to calculate your damages. Your attorney will use medical professionals to determine the cost of injuries (including future treatments).
- Will fight to the bitter end. Insurance companies play a whole different game once a lawyer gets involved. You have bargaining power.
The picture should be getting pretty clear at this point.
Lawyers allow you to focus on your recovery instead of fighting with insurance companies.
Think of it this way…
Auto accident attorneys work on contingency. This means that there is no upfront fee. They don’t get paid unless you win.
Wrap Up and Conclusion
If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident…
Do yourself a favor and hire an attorney.
Insurance companies have been lowering compensation amounts on their own customers for decades. They know all of the tricks.
You deserve to be compensated for your injuries, pain, and losses. Let an attorney help you do just that.
Remember…
- Insurance companies thrive on unrepresented claimants
- Early settlements mean less compensation
- Insurance adjusters use lowball and delay tactics
- Lawyers handle negotiations and calculate true damages
- Most attorneys work on contingency fees
Don’t risk losing out on tens of thousands of dollars by representing yourself. Hire an attorney and let them deal with the insurance company nonsense while you focus on recovering from your accident.