Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Talks About Philadelphia Injury Settlements

I was recently contacted by an individual who had managed to obtain an offer of $50,000 to settle her son’s case. This person wanted to know if it was safe to take the money without retaining a lawyer. He was afraid that if a lawyer was brought into the case that the lawyer might settle the case for $55,000 and take one third of the proceeds. My advice was to meet with several lawyers in order to work out the best possible arrangement. I told the client to insist that the first $50,000 was for her son and that the lawyer’s fee would come out of any amount he could negotiate above and beyond that amount.

This is a creative solution to a seemingly difficult problem. You need to think your situation through carefully so that you can come up with these kinds of solutions. There are plenty of unscrupulous lawyers who will steal you blind if you don’t act with care. These kinds of creative solutions will win you the respect of the lawyer you finally retain.

It is an illusion to think that an insurance company will offer an unrepresented person the same kind of settlement money they would offer a person represented by a capable personal injury lawyer. There is virtually no way for you to know the value of a personal injury case. These values are based upon years of jury verdicts and insurance settlements. Only an experienced personal injury attorney can accurately assess the maximum amount an insurance company is likely to pay for a particular injury.

The company knows very well that it possesses superior knowledge and bargaining power. It will not hesitate to use this knowledge and power to its advantage and your disadvantage. Insurance companies pay only what they feel they will be compelled to pay by a jury. A strong personal injury lawyer on your side acts like a hammer over the head of the insurance company. The company pays far more when it fears the outcome that an experienced personal injury attorney can secure for the client. Insurance companies do not fear unrepresented individuals because of the individual’s lack of knowledge about how to inflict pain upon the company if it does not settle the case. It’s like fighting a war without modern weapons. The other side is not likely to listen seriously to your terms of surrender if you have no ability to effectively wage the battle.

The insurance company will also know that even if the facts and justice are on your side, your unfamiliarity with the legal procedures involved may allow the company to beat your claim on a legal technicality. Although the courts generally relax the rules of procedure for unrepresented parties, you can’t count on this. The rules are made by lawyers for use by lawyers. It is extremely hard to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s in just the right way when it comes to a personal injury lawsuit. Again, my advice is to retain an honest, energetic personal injury specialist at the first possible opportunity.

Cases involving property damage alone can be settled fairly without the assistance of an attorney. It may be better here to handle the case yourself and spare yourself the expense of an attorney. There are books available which set forth the value of cars. These accepted values establish guidelines which the insurance company should follow. There are no such clear cut guidelines concerning the "value" of pain and suffering in a serious injury case. That’s why you need a lawyer.