Mike Hancock is the founder of Hancock Injury Attorneys, a former insurance defense attorney, and an AV-Preeminent–rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, with over 35 years of experience practicing personal injury law.
Video Transcript:
Hi, I’m Mike Hancock with Hancock Injury Attorneys.
A common question we hear is: “Do I need a personal injury attorney for my car accident claim?”
The answer depends on the situation, but in many cases, speaking with an attorney early can make a significant difference in the outcome of your claim.
Before you speak with the insurance company, whether it’s your own insurer or the at-fault driver’s insurance, it’s usually in your best interest to talk with a personal injury attorney first. Insurance companies are focused on limiting payouts, not maximizing your recovery.
There are some situations where a lawyer may not be necessary, but in most serious injury cases, having legal representation helps protect your rights and ensures you are not taken advantage of during the claims process.
Let me give you a real example.
We recently represented a client who was involved in a car accident in Florida. She was driving properly in her lane when another driver pulled out from a business and directly into her path, causing a collision.
The other driver was clearly at fault and even received a traffic citation.
However, despite that, the insurance company, USAA, still attempted to argue that our client was 30% at fault and only offered to pay 70% of her property damage.
This kind of fault-shifting happens more often than people realize, even in cases that seem clear-cut.
Insurance companies regularly try to reduce what they pay by assigning partial blame, even when the evidence does not support it.
This is one of the main reasons people benefit from having a personal injury attorney represent them in a car accident claim. An attorney can push back against unfair fault determinations, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for full and fair compensation.
If you have questions about a car accident or personal injury claim in Florida, you can contact Hancock Injury Attorneys at 813-915-1110. Consultations are always free.