The Complexities of Insurances and Car Accident Claims

I had a recent client come back and hire me to handle their car accident claim. The first thing she said was that she wished that she would have hired me when it all began 7 months ago, but the insurance company made her feel like that they were going to work with her and get the claim resolved. Once it was finally time to settle the case, the offer was miserably low and she started getting all kinds of excuses of what was wrong with her automobile injury claim.

After reviewing with her everything that had transpired over the 7 month period, I noticed that she was being asked to do all the leg work and the insurance adjuster didn't want to do anything. It is tough for a person to juggle their job, family, and all of the other curve balls life throws at a person, then add an auto accident and the laziness of the adjuster to put the entire burden upon the injured victim.

It can be understandable for the insurance company to request some certain things from the car accident victim, but to have the adjuster do nothing other than request documents from the victim is absurd. It seems that this is a string along tactic by the insurance companies to keep the injured victim busy up until the time that the claim is about to expire under the statute of limitations or prescriptive period in Louisiana.

I told my client to not worry and this happens often. It is my job as the attorney to worry about these things and do all of the running around to get the case postured for settlement or filing of a lawsuit. Her immediate response was she wished she would have just hired an attorney from day 1, instead of getting upset, frustrated, and angry over the past 7 months.

I can understand people wanting to do things themselves because it saves money; however, in dealing with legal matters, especially auto accident injury claims, it does not save time or money. In some cases, it can actually make the claim worse, as there are many things the attorney would have you do that you did not think of on your own.

I equate the scenario to me doing my own plumbing. I am most likely capable of doing the plumbing work, but it will take me numerous trips to the hardware store, as I am unable to forecast all of the items or tools that I need to accomplish the plumbing task. The parts do not fit together or I do not have the right piece. What would take a plumber an hour to do, takes me 2 days and a few phone calls for proper advice, and that still me hoping that the job has no further problems that arise days later.

Remember, lawyers do make money from your injury claim, but the % (if on a contingency) they make is the same whether involved from day 1 or 7 months later. If your a car accident victim that is being strung along by the insurance companies, please feel free to contact my office and we can assist in getting your claim the attention it deserves.

Attorney David Lamm

142 W. St. Peter Street

New Iberia, LA 70560

(337) 321-6535

www.legallamm.com