Following your car accident, you may have incurred physical injuries. Recovering from these physical injuries can be stressful in all aspects -physically, emotionally, and financially. Many victims are unaware of their legal rights and do not know they can file a car accident claim to get compensation for all the injuries and damages due to the accident.
However, one of the most frequently asked questions by victims are, can you file a car accident claim without a car accident attorney Grand Junction, CO, or is it mandatory by the law to consult an attorney for your claim?
You are not obligated to have an attorney file your claim. According to the country’s law, you can file a car accident claim individually without the presence of an attorney. However, there are various drawbacks to not consulting an attorney and filing a claim without them.
The insurance company wants to pay you as little as possible.
You may feel that you have all the evidence to support your claim, and you will eventually get compensation. Additionally, the insurance company will appear concerned about your injuries, making you think that they are working in your favor. However, in reality, the insurance company wants to pay you minimum compensation.
When you file a claim without an attorney, this will be advantageous for the insurance company. As someone with no in-depth knowledge of the law and how legal procedures work, the company will take advantage of the situation and trap you into multiple tactics to lower or deny your compensation.
You may settle for less, thinking it is the best you can get.
When the insurance company offers you a settlement offer, without the presence of an attorney, you will feel that this is the maximum you can get for your injuries. Due to this, you may rush into settling your case and accept the offer quickly. However, the settlement offer does not need to be sufficient. In most cases, the company’s initial settlement offer is the lowest.
If you have an attorney by your side, they can help calculate an approximate amount for your injuries and damages to expect from the company. Additionally, when you get the settlement offer, the attorney can review and guide you on whether you should accept the settlement offer or not. Suppose the attorney feels you deserve more compensation. In that case, they will talk to the insurance company on your behalf and negotiate the best settlement offer that will work in your best interest.