If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident, you know how difficult it can be to deal with the insurance company. They treat you as if you don’t know the first thing about how insurance works and they will try to take advantage of you. That’s why we recommend you retain an experienced Smyrna accident attorney to help with your case.
You’re Better Off Settling Your Claim Rather Than Filing a Lawsuit
In the days immediately following your car accident, you’ll probably be angry. You’re going to want the other driver to pay. While this is perfectly natural, you do need to be realistic.
There is nothing wrong with envisioning your day in court, at the end of the day, you’re better off if you settle. Not only is it expensive to sue the other driver, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll win. What your Smyrna accident attorney will do is try to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance adjuster on your behalf.
There Are Many Reasons Why You’d Want to Settle Your Insurance Claim
Some of our clients want to know why they should settle when they can sue the other driver. They don’t realize that, in the real world, more than 95% of all accident cases settle outside of court.
Most people learn what they know about the law from watching television or reading stories online. Our accident lawyers in Smyrna do whatever they can to avoid filing legal action. Their goal is to get you the money you deserve as quickly and as inexpensively as possible.
Suing the Other Driver is Always a Last Resort
Ask any experienced Smyrna accident attorney and they’ll tell you the same thing. It makes more sense to settle your claim early than it is to file suit. Once you file a lawsuit, it becomes harder to settle your case.
Not only will it be harder to negotiate a settlement, but your accident lawyer in Smyrna will also have to charge more if you sue. Since we don’t ask our clients to pay anything upfront, we have no choice but to collect our fees and costs when you settle your case.
The less money and time we have to dedicate to your case, the less we’ll have to deduct from your settlement proceeds.
The Insurance Adjuster Knows They Can’t Take Advantage of Your Accident Lawyer in Smyrna
The insurance adjusters love nothing more than to learn that a claimant doesn’t have an attorney. They know that they’ll have a much better chance of convincing the driver to settle for a lesser amount.
Once the insurance company finds out you retained a Smyrna accident attorney, they know they’ve lost their chance to take advantage of you. They understand that your lawyer has negotiation skills and knows what you’re entitled to.
You’ll Be at a Serious Disadvantage if You Don’t Hire a Smyrna Accident Attorney
One of the reasons insurance adjusters like to deal with pro se claimants is that they think they can settle for less money. If you have a lawyer, they won’t let you agree to a settlement, especially if it doesn’t cover your out-of-pocket expenses.
The other problem with your hiring an accident lawyer in Smyrna is that they’ll fight on your behalf. The insurance company hopes that, once they deny someone’s claim, they’ll walk away and accept their fate.
Our Smyrna accident attorneys won’t let that happen to you.
Our Accident Lawyers in Smyrna Know How the Insurance Companies Operate
Our Smyrna accident attorneys have decades of combined experience dealing with insurance companies. They know the tactics the insurance adjusters use to get you to settle for less money. They also know how far to push the insurance adjuster.
It wouldn’t be fair to say that all insurance companies are like this. Some are upstanding and try to do what is fair. Our Smyrna accident attorneys have actually developed professional relationships with some of the adjusters from the larger insurance carriers.
Your Attorney Also Knows How to Gather the Evidence Needed to Prove Fault
If the insurance adjuster refuses to pay your claim, you can always file an appeal. If that doesn’t work, your only option will be to file a lawsuit against the other driver. When you do this, you’ll need to submit sufficient evidence to prove that the other driver caused the crash.
Our Smyrna accident attorneys know how to gather the evidence needed to do this. They’ll get a copy of the police report so they can track down the eyewitnesses. They’ll hire the experts needed to prove your damages. They’ll do whatever it takes to get you the compensation you deserve.
The insurance companies know this. They would much rather deal with a driver directly than have to deal with their accident lawyer in Smyrna.
Your Accident Lawyer in Smyrna Also Understand How Comparative Fault Works in Georgia
It is worth noting that our Smyrna accident attorneys are familiar with the laws in Georgia dealing with comparative negligence. If the defendant’s lawyer claims that you were partially at fault, your attorney won’t panic.
What the insurance company is hoping will happen is that you’ll walk away when they say you caused the crash. They want you to think that you can’t collect damages if you were partly at fault.
Thankfully, your accident lawyer in Smyrna knows this isn’t true. According to OCGA §51-11-7, you can still collect damages, they will just be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Our Smyrna Accident Attorneys Know How to Negotiate a Fair Settlement
When it comes down to it, most car accident claims settle out of court. The question is – will you be able to negotiate a fair settlement on your own? In our experience, your chances of settling for a fair amount are better if you have a Smyrna accident attorney.
This is just one of the reasons we suggest you meet with a personal injury lawyer in Smyrna sooner rather than later. The last thing you want is to be at a disadvantage when dealing with the insurance adjuster.
The good news is that we offer all new clients a free, initial consultation. Take advantage of the opportunity to sit down with a seasoned Georgia car accident attorney and have them evaluate your case. Since there is no charge, you have nothing to lose.
