If you have been injured in an accident caused by the negligence or recklessness of another party, you may be dealing with the financial burdens of medical expenses and loss of income while you are recovering. North Carolina law allows victims to pursue damages from those responsible for the incident that resulted in the injuries. Not only can a victim seek financial compensation for the financial losses their injuries have caused, but they may also be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, permanent disability, and more. Although you are not required to retain a North Carolina personal injury attorney in order to recover damages, there is a much higher rate of successfully obtaining the compensation you deserve if you have a skilled attorney advocating for you instead of trying to deal with the insurance company and/or the attorney representing the at-fault party on your own. The more serious the injuries and higher the victim’s losses, the more critical it is to hire an attorney.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are in business to make a profit and will do all they can to pay the least amount possible – if at all – to an injured victim who has a legitimate case. There are well-known tactics that they will use in order to achieve that goal.
One of the most common tactics is to delay processing the claim. Imagine you have suffered serious injuries and the medical bills are piling up. You are unable to work while you are recovering and not receiving your weekly pay, so your savings are quickly dwindling to pay your household and other bills. While you become more and more anxious to settle your case, the insurance company drags out the process, claiming they are still investigating the accident or requesting unnecessary documents. Not surprisingly, when an insurance adjuster finds out an attorney is representing the victim, the claims process is no longer delayed.
The insurance company may also try to deny a claim completely. They may claim the victim did not suffer any injuries or the injuries occurred somewhere else. In certain types of cases, such as vehicle accidents, the company may claim the victim was the at-fault party or at least partially responsible.
No matter what tactics the company tries to use to deny an injury claim, your personal injury attorney has the legal knowledge and experience to not only negotiate an appropriate settlement, but also to proceed with a lawsuit if the insurance company fails to negotiate in good faith.
Contact Our Office Today
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another party, contact a North Carolina personal injury attorney to find out what legal options you may have. The legal team at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp has almost 40 years of experience advocating for injured victims and their families and will help you get the financial compensation you deserve. Each attorney at our firm is a skilled negotiator, but each one also has extensive experience in litigation should the insurance company fail to negotiate in good faith. Call our office today for a free and confidential case evaluation.
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