How much more compensation could you be owed in your personal injury case?
Thousands of people every year settle for far less than they are entitled to after accidents. They take the first offer that insurance companies make and run. But what if there was a way to get far more?
The insurance company does not want to pay you any more money than they absolutely have to.
Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Their goal is to pay out as little as possible. The faster and more complete they can force you to settle for, the better it is for them.
Enter expert personal injury attorneys who know exactly how to maneuver through personal injury law and deal with insurance companies. The data is clear, represented parties do far better.
Here’s how it works…
By the end of this article, you will understand:
- The Importance of Legal Representation
- The Value of Expertise
- Negotiation Techniques That Work
- Calculating the True Value of Your Compensation
Let’s dive in…
The Importance of Legal Representation
The statistics are telling…
The data is clear 91% of represented victims receive payouts, while only 51% of victims who had no lawyer or representative were paid a payout. This is almost double!
It doesn’t end there…
The data is also clear that people who were represented by a personal injury lawyer had payouts nearly three times higher than those who did not have legal representation. And that’s not a typo. That is the actual data.
But why such a huge difference?
The answer lies in understanding. Expert personal injury attorneys know the true value of cases and injuries. They know which damages to pursue, how to document injuries and impacts, and the evidence insurance companies need to take you seriously. They also know when an offer is fair and when to push back.
Insurance adjusters play a game based on the premise that most people will simply accept the first lowball offer and run. This assumption is key to their negotiation strategies and tactics, including playing hardball on quick settlements, minimizing injury severity, alleging contributory negligence, and deliberately using legal jargon to confuse and obfuscate.
Expert personal injury attorneys see this fast. They have seen it hundreds of times before.
The Value of Expertise
The other secret most people are unaware of is that the value legal representation adds is far more than just negotiating higher figures.
Expert personal injury attorneys bring a whole toolbox of protections across every aspect of a case.
Let’s break this down:
Accurately Valuing a Case
The main place most people underestimate their case value is with expert attorneys knowing to look for and calculate:
- Future medical expenses, ongoing treatment
- Lost earning potential if injuries impair long-term employment
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of quality of life
- Emotional distress, mental health impacts, and psychological damages
This far-reaching approach ensures no aspect is overlooked.
Gathering and Preserving Evidence
Expert attorneys know exactly what evidence is needed to build a rock-solid case and how to obtain it, including:
- Comprehensive, detailed medical records, with expert opinions on extent/future impacts
- Thorough accident scene documentation
- Witness statements
- Employment records, with proof of lost wages/diminished earning capacity
- Expert testimony regarding future damages
This evidence is carefully preserved for use throughout the process.
Protection Against Mistakes
It takes one slip-up to sink a case. Expert personal injury attorneys know all the common pitfalls that sink cases, such as:
- Making unprepared statements to insurance adjusters (especially on recorded statements)
- Posting on social media about injuries
- Accepting early settlement offers before the true extent of injuries is known
- Missing filing deadlines, documentation deadlines, etc.
A single mistake can cost thousands in settlement reductions, and some are so egregious they can end up denying compensation entirely.
Negotiation Techniques That Work
Want to know the difference between a good attorney and a great one?
It’s in negotiation skills.
Best personal injury attorneys know insurance companies’ tactics like the back of their hands. They have deep insight into adjuster psychology, company settlement practices, and what arguments really land.
The proof? 70% who negotiated received settlements that were $30,700 higher than those who took the first offer. That’s a lot of money left on the table.
The Method
Here’s how they do it:
Open Strong: Start with a solidly documented demand backed by the evidence previously discussed. This frames the case as well prepared from the start and sets the insurance companies’ expectations.
Reject & Counter Smartly: When adjusters inevitably respond with lowball offers, the best attorneys don’t just reject them. They precisely outline why the offer falls short, citing medical evidence, case precedents, and damage analyses.
Apply Pressure: Litigation deadlines, medical liens, and readiness to go to trial all push back on insurance companies showing you mean business and are willing to fight for fair compensation. Insurance companies know they stand to lose far more if a case goes to trial.
Settle Wisely: There is no law saying every case has to go to trial. Smart attorneys know when a settlement offer is reasonable and can advise their clients on when to walk away.
How Attorneys Calculate True Compensation Value
Insurance companies only want to pay you what they absolutely have to.
They know expert personal injury attorneys have the knowledge and ability to obtain a far better settlement than most people realize their case is worth.
The answer lies in breaking down compensation into its component parts:
Economic Damages are the more straightforward, provable costs like medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and future medical expenses. These are generally relatively easy to establish with the right documentation.
Non-Economic Damages cover more subjective aspects such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment, and loss of consortium with a spouse. The best personal injury attorneys are skilled at arguing these less tangible damages and they often represent the bulk of a settlement.
Punitive Damages may also apply in egregious cases involving gross negligence or intentional harm. Attorneys know when these are available and how to make the argument.
The key is in the narrative around each damage category. Best personal injury attorneys build compelling stories around how the injuries have affected the totality of life.
In Conclusion
Personal injury attorneys maximize your compensation through their deep knowledge, refined strategies, and tireless advocacy.
The data makes this crystal clear: legal representation drastically improves both the chance of any compensation and the total amount. With 91% of represented victims receiving payouts compared to only 51% of those without a lawyer or representative, the decision becomes easy.
But it’s about more than just money. It’s about getting what’s fair when you’ve suffered injuries due to someone else’s negligence. It’s about holding negligent drivers, companies, etc. accountable and making sure medical bills don’t ruin you financially.
The odds are stacked against you when going up against insurance companies with their unlimited resources and armies of experienced adjusters. You need the knowledge, skill, and grit that expert personal injury attorneys bring to the table.
It’s not just a question of whether legal representation makes a difference. The data proves it already does. The question is can you afford not to have it.