Many people are skeptical of personal injury lawyers. They see the tv commercials and billboards with catchy slogans. They hear the radio commercials promising big money with no risk to you. Or, they find it hard to believe that paying an attorney 35 - 40% of their settlement can actually net them more money vs. handling the claim on their own. Here, we outline why hiring an experienced injury lawyer will almost always pay off in the long run.

Insurance companies don't want you to hire an attorney. Despite laws in Colorado prohibiting insurance companies from trying to settle claims within 30 days of an injury, they still try to do it. We've had potential clients call us two weeks after a serious car accident and say "the insurance company already offered me $2,500 plus medical expenses to settle - is that a good offer?" 

Why would the insurance company try to settle claims that quickly? And how could they possibly know the extent of the injured victim's injuries before seeing a single medical record? Well, they want to resolve cases as fast (and cheaply) as possible because once you settle you cannot come back for more money down the road. 

Insurance companies know that experienced personal injury attorneys would never advise their clients to settle that quickly. As we've outlined in previous blog posts, there is no credible way to know how much a case is worth until our clients complete all necessary medical treatment for their injuries. And that initial, arbitrary $2,500 offer will seem exceptionally low if you need a surgery or extended rehabilitation to recover. 

You still need to pay your medical bills (subrogation) after the case resolves. Even if you have health insurance to cover the initial medical bills, you still need to reimburse them for what they paid for your treatment. If you handle your case alone, you may not have the expertise to negotiate and resolve the medical subrogation claim. Personal injury lawyers handle that for you from the settlement and the good ones make sure you still recover more money than the law firm and health insurance company does at the end of your case. 

In sum, it might seem tempting to resolve your personal injury case on your own and you may understandably think you'll net more money by doing so. However, insurance companies routinely offer much, much less money to claimants without a lawyer and there are pitfalls you may not know about. 

If you have been seriously injured in Colorado and have any questions, please contact Kane Trial Law in Castle Rock at 303-919-7777 for a free consultation.