North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers | Speaks Law Firm.

I was injured in an auto accident. It was clearly the other driver’s fault. I am not sure if I should handle the claim myself or retain an attorney. Am I better off with a lawyer or without one?

Look before You Buy

Call us at (910) 341-7570(910) 341-7570. Ask all the questions you can think of and then decide if you feel like an attorney will help. After you have all of the information, you will be in a better position to decide. The consultation is free. There is no obligation.

What We Do

We approach each case like it is our only case. We look at each case like an individual corporation. Corporations do two things: maximize revenue and minimize expenses. We maximize the revenue by negotiating the highest settlement offer. Then we minimize the expenses by negotiating the lowest possible payments to medical providers and lienholders. That is how we can get the most money for you, the person who was affected most by the accident. We follow this procedure in every injury case.

Is this about Money?

Yes. It is about money, but not because we are greedy or because we want you to have something for nothing. It is about money because you have bills, liens and loss. It will take money to pay the bills, satisfy the liens and compensate for your loss.

I am not the kind of Person who likes to Sue People. I just want to be treated fairly.

Contrary to what T.V. programs would have you believe none of our clients are trying to recover something for nothing. We do not represent people who say they were injured when they are not. We do not represent people who try to exaggerate claims or defraud insurance companies. We represent good people who were legitimately injured by careless people in real accidents.

Do the Right Thing: An Analogy

If my son throws a baseball through our neighbor’s window, what should he do? Should he pull his cap down over his eyes and sneak off to the garage? No. He should knock on the door and say, “I am sorry”. He should pay to fix the window. He should pay for the materials, the labor and the clean up. He should not have to pay to fix a clogged drain, a squeaky door, or a missing shingle, but he should pay for the damage he caused. It is the same with car and other accidents.

The Law in Auto Accident Cases

The law requires the person who caused the wreck to pay for the damage. The law requires drivers to purchase insurance so that if a driver hurts someone by accident while driving, he or she will not be financially devastated by an honest mistake. If it was not a simple honest mistake, the responsible driver may face criminal prosecution for illegal conduct.

My Job as an Injury Lawyer

I cannot repair cracked collar bones, fractured fibulas or torn connective tissue. I cannot make injured people well again. You will need talented medical professionals to do that. Those medical professionals, talented as they may be, do not work for free. Medical treatment costs money. And, what if there are future medical expenses? What if you miss work? What if you have a permanent scar or some type of permanent disability? What if you cannot run again? Or walk? What about the pain that you have experienced following the accident, the treatment and the recovery? The only tool that exists to address these unfortunate yet inescapable consequences is money. It is my job to get enough of it to pay for these damages.

One More Thing

For the insurance company, it is entirely about money. They will pay the smallest amount they can possibly get away with in every case. For them, this is math problem; not a moral dilemma. It is the job of every insurance adjuster to save money for the company by paying out the least amount possible for claims. Insurance companies, like other companies, are obligated to their shareholders to maximize revenue and minimize expenses. Premiums payments produce revenue. As an injury claimant, you are an expense. The recorded statement they ask you to provide will reveal their intentions if you know where to look.

How we Maximize Recovery

First, we look at all possible sources of recovery including owner’s policy, driver’s policy, employer’s policy, victim’s policy, worker’s compensation policy, umbrella policy, other policies and individual assets. Then we gather information that is legally and factually relevant to the claim. We present it in a way that is compelling and specifically designed to match with the computer valuation models used by insurance companies to assess claim value. Finally, we add context to tell your story and how you were affected by the accident.

Minimize Expenses

Almost every injury claim settlement will involve expenses. Medical providers who advance services may have liens. Health insurers like Blue Cross, Medicaid, Medicare, Tri-Care and others may have liens, as well. There may be other liens, costs and expenses that arise. We have legal tools and experience to negotiate these lien amounts to help us achieve our goal of fair compensation.

Why are liens important?

The insurance company is going to gather information about these liens. They are legally required to satisfy the lien before they pay any money to you. They will ask you to sign a medical release so they can get this information. Will there be anything left for you after these liens are satisfied? Is it wise to take that chance?

Attorney Fees

Fee Structure

Attorney fees in injury cases are generally structured the same from one law firm to another. The consultation is free. There is no fee unless we recover money. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the recovery. The percentage may be different from firm to firm, and it increases if the case goes to court. This is because of the additional time, energy, expertise and risk associated with court. You do not have to pay the fee in advance. Instead, the fee will be deducted from your settlement proceeds.

The Attorney Analysis

It makes sense to use an attorney if you will receive more money with an attorney than you would without an attorney.

Critical Factors

You want to make sure of two things. First, you want to make sure that your attorney can maximize the value of the claim and minimize the expenses. Second, you want to make sure that your attorney charges a reasonable fee. (Remember the attorney fee is charged at the conclusion of the case as a percentage of total recovery.)

Are you better off with an attorney after an Accident?

You are better off with the right attorney. The right attorney can maximize the claim, minimize the expenses and charge a reasonable fee. That will lead to fair compensation. This is true whether your injuries are catastrophic or minor. Call for more information. (910) 341-7570(910) 341-7570