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Many people wonder whether hiring an attorney after a car accident is necessary or not. At Fox Goldblatt & Singer PC, we believe that while it is not always necessary, it can be incredibly valuable. Each of our car accident clients is dealing with a completely unique situation. There is no one answer when it comes to the necessity of legal representation after a car accident. Typically, in serious accidents or in accidents that involve a local or state agency, legal representation is highly advisable.
In the event of a car accident, you will report the incident to your insurance company. The other parties involved, if any, will do the same. Your insurance company should keep in contact with you regarding the status of your claim. In the meantime, you should proceed with obtaining the necessary medical treatment. Once your insurance company has evaluated your policy, assessed the nature of the accident, and determined the total cost of damages, they will notify you as to how much your claim is worth.
This is usually the phase of the car accident claims process where people run into issues. Sometimes, people are unhappy with the outcome of their claim. This might be because the amount offered was lower than you expected, or maybe you were determined partially liable for the incident, thereby lowering the total amount that you can recover from the other driver’s insurance. Your auto accident claim may have been denied outright. When you are not happy with the outcome of your claim, you can typically request a reconsideration with the insurance company.
In a reconsideration, the insurance company will reopen your claim to determine if there were any errors. If there are additional areas for compensation, then they will notify you of that change. It is not impossible to be awarded a more favorable result at this point, but it is not common. If the insurance company refuses to change their offer, then you can make a formal request with the Missouri Division of Insurance (MDI).
It is important to remember that the MDI is not an attorney, and cannot perform the same functions as an attorney. People who choose not to retain attorney services may use this route. MDI can make a formal request to the insurance company in question and can even begin a review process to determine whether or not the insurance company is in compliance with good faith practices and state codes.
Fighting a large corporation such as an insurance company can be an exceedingly difficult task. If you are in the midst of a David and Goliath-type situation, please do not hesitate to contact a St. Louis car accident attorney from our firm. Fox Goldblatt & Singer PC has been representing car accident victims since 1949. You can trust our skill and experience to work for you.