You may be asking yourself: “Do I really need to hire an attorney to help me settle my insurance claim after a bike crash?” Although it may be tempting to try and handle an insurance claim by yourself, the many benefits of retaining an attorney at Bay Area Bicycle Law vastly outweigh the risks you take when you try and handle your case by yourself.
Experience
The attorneys at Bay Area Bicycle Law work on bicycle-related cases every day. We are closely attuned to the laws that are unique to bicycle accident cases, and we know how to strategically interact with insurance companies in your best interest. We know what information insurance companies are looking for, and what the likely value of your case is.
Remember, insurance companies are for-profit businesses, and they make money by denying claims or paying out as little as possible. Insurance adjusters see those representing themselves as easy targets, since they are likely not familiar with the laws involved in their case, and do not know the fair settlement value of their claim.
Unlike claims involving only property damage, which tend to have straightforward valuations, personal injury cases can be very complex and time consuming. This makes sense – while a bicycle has a value that can be determined in a market, how do you put a price on, say, the loss of 10% of your intelligence, the inability to engage in your favorite hobby, or the deterioration of a relationship because of a brain injury?
The attorneys at Bay Area Bicycle Law know how to properly value your claim, and effectively communicate with insurance companies to get you the best settlement possible.
Convenience
Initiating a lawsuit by yourself is an emotionally draining, stressful, time-consuming, and often bewildering undertaking for those unfamiliar with the process. By hiring an attorney to advocate on your behalf, you will eliminate large amounts of unnecessary stress from your life.
We know what information and evidence insurance companies require to maximize your case’s settlement value. An injured individual should be focusing on recovering, not dealing with the hassle inherent in attempting to handle your case alone.
Insurance Companies Are More Responsive to Attorneys
Once an injured person retains legal counsel, the insurance companies will begin to take the claim more seriously. When an attorney becomes involved, it increases the likelihood of litigation (i.e., filing a lawsuit with the court). Since insurance companies want to avoid the costly and risky path of defending a lawsuit, hiring an attorney will motivate them to settle your claim favorably earlier in the process.
Furthermore, because the attorneys at Bay Area Bicycle Law negotiate with insurance adjusters directly (instead of having paralegals handle it), the adjusters know they cannot make bogus offers without increasing the likelihood of litigation.
Value
Attorneys understand what compensation you are entitled to and how to navigate financial obligations related to your claim (i.e. health insurance liens, hospital liens, etc.). Many individuals settle their claims believing they received adequate compensation only to discover that their health insurance has a right of reimbursement or that they were entitled to additional funds that they were unaware of. This will never happen if you hire Bay Area Bicycle Law.
Furthermore, most individuals have no idea what information the insurance companies need in order to reach a determination. In order to set high reserves and receive maximum settlement authority, insurance adjusters need specific information about your injuries, treatment, and billing. We know what information they need to maximize your claim.
Finally, we can properly determine the value of your non-economic damages – your pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Although the economic burden of an accident can be a lot to bear, most find the pain, emotional trauma, and stress to be the most substantial burden. Because we negotiate personal injury settlements day-in, day-out, we understand what your non-economic damages are worth.
THE RISKS IN NOT HIRING A BICYCLE LAWYER
Bay Area Bicycle Law has taken over numerous cases after a client attempted to negotiate a settlement independently and severely hurt their case in the process. Often this forces us to file a lawsuit that likely could have been avoided. Handling a case by yourself is a risky endeavor because you may not understand what information or statements are harmful to your case. And if you file a lawsuit on your own, the risk increases even more as various procedural mishaps could result in your case being dismissed as a matter of law—eliminating any compensation for your injuries.
Individually going up against an insurance company is a modern-day David v. Goliath situation. Insurance companies frequently have billions of dollars in assets and have negotiated tens of thousands of claims. Therefore, we strongly advise you to consult our experienced attorneys at Bay Area Bicycle Law before settling a case on your own.