Getting by Without A Lawyer

I’m David Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss topics related to personal injury law.

Today’s question comes from a listener who asks “I was injured in a car crash last week, and now the other driver’s insurance company is calling and says I don’t need a lawyer, is she right, can I get by without a lawyer?

Well, maybe not every person involved in a car crash needs an attorney to help with their injury claim. But the vast majority will benefit from having an attorney.

On a very small claim where you get a tiny scratch on your arm, a small bandage might be all the medical care you need.

If you break your arm you may need to have a doctor who has expertise in setting bones do the setting of the fracture in order to fully recover.

In cases big and small, insurance companies will tell accident victims not to hire an attorney.

Ask yourself this question: is the other driver’s insurance company my friend and on my side and should I trust what it tells me?

An insurance company’s goal is to settle all claims for the least amount of money possible.

If you were the CEO of a huge insurance company, would you rather have someone with no experience negotiating against your trained employees, or would you rather your employees have to bargain with an experienced attorney?

Most attorneys will offer free initial consultations. If you contact an attorney who has experience and who is reliable, and who has a track record of handling the type of claim that you have, take their advice.

If the attorney you contact says handle it by yourself, it generally means it is safe to do so.

Think of it like this, you call your doctor and explain your symptoms and they say that there is no need to go to the ER, just take two aspirin and rest, and call tomorrow if symptoms change.

We often get calls from people simply with questions about property damage. Typically, there is rarely a need for an attorney to resolve property damage issues. We have even prepared a brochure for such callers that we will send out to them free of charge that explains the terms that insurance professionals use in property damage claim situations. People have told us that this brochure really helped them get a fair deal on their claim. If you call or fill out the online contact forms on our website, we’d be happy to send you this brochure.

We also have links on our website to the small claims court rules, and even a video or two on small claims matters.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have questions about your legal rights if you get hurt due to the carelessness of another person, or as a result of substandard medical care, or due to a product defect, construction injury, or any other type of personal injury, please give us a call at (219) 736-9700. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at www.DavidHolubLaw.com – while there make sure you request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth”.