A great rule of thumb is “If I think I need an attorney, I probably do.”
Whenever you are in an accident or you home is damaged by a storm or fire, you will likely report the claim to your insurance company. On some occasions, that may be sufficient. But if the loss is significant, an attorney will be invaluable. Yes, you will have to pay your attorney, generally based on a percentage of how much you recover from the insurance company. However, your attorney should work with you to ensure that you receive a better result, even with paying an attorney, than you would have if you did it alone.
Why?
Your insurance policy is a very complex document. An attorney can help you understand whether you should be covered under the circumstances.
The investigation of your claim needs to be done right. Attorneys who have spent significant time dealing with insurance companies can help you understand if the investigation is complete, fair and impartial. Many times, those investigating claims miss essential damages.
The valuation of your damages is never an exact science. Insurance companies often use software that provides lower estimates of damages, than what is necessary to actually make you whole.
An attorney can help you compile and submit necessary documentation. It can be very challenging to obtain medical records or itemize losses, especially where there are major injuries or damages to your property.
Many insurance companies will assign a new, more experienced adjuster to your claim once you are represented by an attorney. This is critical, as more experienced adjusters are typically better at recognizing risks and analyzing the claim.
If you do have to file litigation, the attorney should have you in the best position to prevail at trial. No attorney can guarantee that you will win, but it is better to have every advantage going into a lawsuit.
