Many people wonder if they have to pay a car accident lawyer after a collision. The answer to this question varies from state to state. In some states the law will allow you to represent yourself and it won’t cost you anything. In other states, the person who is at fault must be covered by insurance or there may be additional charges.
You should consult with your local attorney if you are not represented. They can tell you whether or not you are required to pay a lawyer. If they do suggest that you do consider paying them, it may only be a small fraction of what you would end up paying without an attorney. This won’t be any cheaper than hiring one anyway, so it may be well worth it.
Your St. Petersburg car accident lawyer may suggest that you talk to the insurance adjuster. However, don’t think that this is where you get to bargain down your compensation. You will not get a deal as a lump sum but rather the insurance adjuster will try to find ways to lessen the amount that you get. For instance, they may want you to take a pill that will help you be less prone to an auto collision.
Your insurance adjuster may try to have you sign a release form. This way they don’t have to go through the court system to get your claims paid up. However, this does not mean that you agree to release the case from you. You will have to defend yourself in court if you don’t want to give up any of your money. Therefore you should read the release so that you know what the company wants out of the situation.
If you think that the insurance adjuster has no business calling you on this matter then call the Florida Division of Insurance. They will conduct an investigation into whether or not you were given proper medical treatment. Furthermore, they will determine who was at fault and if you should be compensated for your pain and suffering. It is important that you contact the state attorney general’s office so that you can get legal advice.
Now that you know how much you can expect to be compensated for, there are several other questions that you need to ask your car accident lawyer. What is the maximum amount that you can seek to be compensated for? How much will you get as a settlement? What is the schedule for final payouts? These are all important questions that you need to answer so that you can decide if you should hire an insurance firm or not.
