Even if you intend to settle with your insurance company after a claim, speaking with a Merced lawyer experienced in handling these types of cases can help you get through the process with much less stress and may also be able to help in other ways. These are the top 3 reasons why talking to a lawyer about your insurance claim is a good idea before accepting their offer.
Less Stress When Communicating with Those Involved
Most likely, your insurance company will still need copies of police reports and any reports made by claims adjusters. They may also request medical records based on your injuries and need any reports or records of any other insurance companies involved in the case. This can amount to a fair amount of documentation which can make the task stressful.
A lawyer experienced in communicating with insurance companies and providing them everything they need can make your job much easier. Especially after an accident, you want to make things as easy as possible for you and a lawyer can help you do that.
Merced Lawyer Negotiation Skills
There are two ways in which an experienced lawyer can help negotiate your settlement for you. First, they can help to negotiate the settlement offer from the insurance company. Some insurance companies will offer a very low settlement at first hoping that it will be accepted. Your lawyer can help provide any information they need to ensure they offer a second, or even third, settlement that is fairer for you.
You will also most likely be required to pay back any funds paid out by your insurance company for your medical care once you accept a settlement offer. Your lawyer may be able to help negotiate these bills down to a more reasonable cost so less of your settlement is paid back, leaving more for you to pay back any past due bills, replace your vehicle, or even continue necessary medical care.
Speed Up the Insurance Settlement Process
In California, including in Merced, your insurance company has up to 15 days to acknowledge that you are submitting a claim. Then, they have an additional 40 days to determine whether they will be accepting or denying it. If they do accept your claim, they have up to 30 days to pay out your claim should you accept their settlement offer.
As you can see, all this amounts to a fair bit of time especially with a Merced city population of over 80,000 and many of them that may have active insurance claims at any one time. Some insurance companies will intentionally take as long as legally allowed in California so you will be more likely to accept their first settlement offer, knowing you most likely need the money at that point.
A Merced lawyer with experience dealing with insurance companies’ rules and regulations will be able to keep the process moving and may even be able to speed it up so you receive a fair settlement offer quickly.
The Support You Need from an Experienced Merced Lawyer
With so many benefits to having a lawyer on your side, now it’s time to choose one with the experience to take on your insurance company. With offices in Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Visalia, the Maison Law Firm is ready to tackle your case. Do you need an experienced, Spanish-speaking lawyer? Martin Gasparian is that lawyer.
