It’s one of the hardest times in life – after a debilitating accident. No one wants to be in this situation, but what if you are? You don’t have to go it alone. Because when you have to call the insurance company, to try to get your bills covered just as your policy should be designed to do, it can feel like David phoning up Goliath to try to make a deal.
There are personal injury attorneys who spend years specializing in these kinds of situations. Sometimes all it takes is having one represent you to start a process in motion that would lead to a very different outcome than if you were to try to work with insurers yourself. Kind of like good cop, bad cop – and it’s hard to be the bad cop with a company who you may still want to cover you in the future.
The basic questions to ask yourself are, “Does my claim have a bunch of complex rules that I’m having trouble understanding?” and “Are my injuries really significant after this accident?” If you answer yes to either of those, call a lawyer.
Here are some situations that might make you want to consider hiring a Personal Injury lawyer.
Long-Term or Permanently Disabling Injuries
An accident that results in injuries that have an impact on what you can do or what you look like are considered long term if they still affect you after a year or so – or for the rest of your life. How on earth do you figure out how much that is worth? Having some advice on making these estimates can help you deal with such a difficult situation.
Severe Injuries
There are calculations for how much your injuries are worth – the insurance companies have professional staff dedicated to making them. Other factors they consider are the costs of your medical treatment, the kind of injuries incurred, and how long it’s going to take to recover. You can imagine that, as the cost of compensating you goes up, the range of what they’ll actually pay when all is said and done grows too. That range on the low end might not feel fair to you, or depending on your unique situation, neither might be the high side. And it still might be lower than what’s possible. This is another instance when a lawyer can help you figure this out.
Medical Malpractice
What happens if you received medical care that turned out to hurt you? Hopefully it wouldn’t be as bad as these examples, but any mistake during such a vulnerable scenario can be traumatizing. Careless, incompetent or unprofessional treatment from the hands of medical providers – doctors, nurses, hospitals, lab techs – all can contribute to unnecessary suffering on your part. And yet legal rules that come into play in such scenarios are incredibly complex. Almost without exception, you should talk to an attorney who has dealt with such situations.
Toxic Exposure
We’ve all seen Erin Brockovitch. In Bellingham, Washington and Whatcom County, we are all exposed to toxic chemicals – in the air, the ground, and in the water. Sometimes products or food can contain them too. However, if we are sickened by this kind of toxicity, it can be really tough to prove, and we usually need specific scientific data to backup our claims. Companies that are in charge of putting these chemicals out there have lots of protections in place to block accountability. This makes evidence difficult to come by. So, don’t go it alone. Get someone to help you through this process.
When an Insurance Company Refuses to Pay
Sometimes, no matter what you do, regardless of the type of injuries you suffered or their cause, the insurer or government agency in charge just refuses to pay, or pay a fair settlement. If this unfortunate scenario occurs, get help. Even though you’ll have to pay a fee to your lawyer in these cases, often what you get is better than what you would have before, on your own.
How to find a good personal injury lawyer? Look no further. Bill Coats can help you. Here are some examples of cases that he has won, where people who paid their insurance bills on time simply didn’t get compensation in their time of need. It’s not personal, it’s just business. And Bill’s business is in helping you get the compensation you deserve. Click here to reach him for a free consultation on your case, or to answer any questions you might have about next steps.