We all know the Yellow Pages and Internet are full of advertisements for personal injury law firms. But after being injured in a car accident or any other kind of accident in northwest Georgia, is it really necessary to hire an attorney to represent your interests for seeking compensation? After all, isn’t the insurance company supposed to pay a claim against the negligent party’s policy?
This blog post will discuss some misunderstands many people have about the way insurance claims work in Georgia.
Misunderstanding #1: All you have to do is file and you will get some money out of the insurance company.
Insurance companies don’t stay in business by paying out settlements on frivilous claims. Getting a full and fair settlement or winning your case in court takes time and a lot of hard work. In fact, Georgia insurance adjusters know that juries and judges are likely to expect the injured party to have used common sense to avoid the accident or limit the extent of injuries. Many insurers routinely deny or reduce claim amounts and most will expect extensive medical records and reports proving that the injuries are serious. Having an experienced Cedartown personal injury attorney on your side of the negotiating table means you won’t have to face down the insurance defense lawyers by yourself.
Misunderstanding #2: The negligent party’s insurance company will pay for each doctor bill as you receive treatment.
In fact, the insurance company won’t pay a dime in medical bills. You will be responsible for paying all medical bills, either as you receive each bill or out of the final settlement you receive. An experienced Georgia personal injury litigation attorney will have resources to protect your from harassment about paying your bills while your case is progressing.
Misunderstaning #3: Hiring a Georgia personal injury lawyer will stretch out your case and take forever to get compensation.
If you want a quick settlement, then signing the check offered by the insurance company is the way to go. But expect it to be significantly less than the full and fair amount of money you are probably entitled to. Investigating the circumstances, waiting for your full medical reports and preparing the evidence to win in court (if trial becomes necessary) all take time, but it is time worth taking in most cases. In most personal injury cases in northwest Georgia, you can expect a negotiated settlement to take between 8 to 12 months.
Misunderstanding #4: You will end up paying more to your Georgia personal injury lawyer than you will receive in a settlement or verdict.
No, you won’t. Gammon, Anderson & McFall, like other northwest Georgia personal injury law firms, handle personal injury litigation cases on a contingency-fee basis. Plaintiffs (the injured party) pay nothing in attorneys’ fees unless and until a settlement has been paid or the jury awards compensation in trial. The amount will always be based on a percentage of the final compensation figure, which will never exceed the amount you receive.
Call Gammon, Anderson & McFall
At Gammon, Anderson & McFall, we are happy to dispell other myths you may have heard about hiring a personal injury lawyer for your northwest Georgia car accident or any other type of negligence accident that caused your injury or death of a loved one. Call to schedule a free consultation.