Tag Archive for: personal injury lawyers

5 Secrets Insurance Companies Do Not Want You to Know

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1. The Insurance Company is not your Friend.

In fact, they are your adversary. The insurance company is a for-profit company. Their adjusters are trained to befriend you and later deny your claim or offer you the least amount of money possible, rather than giving you the money you deserve for the injuries and losses you have incurred as a result of their insured’s negligence.

2. If You Want the Money You Deserve, Hire a Lawyer.

Insurance companies do not want you to hire a lawyer. Studies show that injury victims that are represented by a lawyer recover 3 ½ times more money than those who are not represented by a lawyer. Personal Injury lawyers that handle injury and accident cases know the claim system in and out and can help your rights.

3. Do not Sign Anything Before you Speak with a Lawyer.

Insurance companies often ask injury victims to sign a medical authorization to release all medical records from doctors that have treated you since the accident. If you visited your normal family doctor all of the records from every visit would be released and many of these records are irrelevant to the accident and contain personal and highly sensitive information that the insurance company will later use to devalue your claim.

4. Do not Provide a Recorded Statement. Just say NO.

The insurance company will contact you and ask you to provide a recorded statement. This statement can and will be used against you at a later time. The adjuster will ask many questions about what happened and if you are not clear or you if do not remember the adjuster will ask you to guess and later use the fact that you cannot remember against you.

5. Everything is Negotiable.

Often times an adjuster will tell individuals who handle their own claims that “our policy” only allows for $20 per day for a rental car or we can only give you “x” amount of dollars for your vehicle despite that fact that you have enhanced the vehicle which increased its value. With the right type of evidence, you can increase your settlement through the negotiation process. Remember everything is negotiable!!!

I am Farrah Martinez personal injury and accident lawyer and I hold insurance companies accountable to ensure you get the compensation you deserve through experienced, aggressive and smart representation. For a free consultation contact me at (713) 853-9296 or visit us online at www.InjuryLawyerHOU.com. You can like us Facebook, follow us on Google+ and Twitter.

Disclaimer: The information and materials provided here are for general informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. Nothing on this blog is intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney. If you need legal advice, please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.

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No Gimmicks! I Only Get Paid Attorney Fees, If You WIN.

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One of the most frequently asked questions asked of attorneys from potential clients is how much is your attorney fee?  It is common practice for personal injury lawyers to provide free consultations and the vast majority of personal injury lawyers typically advertise with the punch line phrase “I do not get paid unless you win.”

In legal terms, this is called a contingency fee which simply means the attorney agrees to represent you and his or her fee is deferred until the end of the case and the attorney only collects a fee if the case results in a favorable outcome.  The attorney fee is then based upon a percentage of the amount awarded to you.  Legally, a contingency fee agreement is only available in certain types of cases. While in other case types, a contingency fee agreement is absolutely prohibited.

A contingency fee agreement is available in the following types of cases:

  • Personal Injury Cases – car accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bite cases, and work accidents.
  • Products Liability Cases – defective products that cause harm. A current example of products liability would be the currently litigation surrounding Lumber Liquidators.
  • Certain Employment Discrimination Cases – age or race.
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act – violations committed by creditors for harassing debtors.

A contingency fee agreement is NOT permitted in the following types of cases:

  • Criminal Cases –  DWI, Assault, or Public Intoxication
  • Family Law Cases –  divorce, child custody, adoptions, or child support
  • Immigration – application for a work visa or student visas
  • Juvenile Cases – a child accused of illegal behavior such as failure to attend school or possession of marijuana

I did not list every case type.  Also, not all lawyers offer contingency fee agreements, so when you are meeting with a lawyer for the first time, simply ask.

Disclaimer: The information and materials provided here are for general informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. Nothing on this blog is intended to substitute for the advice of a slip and fall attorney.  If you need legal advice, please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.

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Farrah Martinez, Personal Injury Lawyer

Farrah Martinez PLLC
700 Louisiana Street, Suite 3950,
Houston, TX, USA

(713) 853-9296

DISCLAIMER

The information and materials provided at www.injurylawyerhou.com are for general informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. Nothing on this website is intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney. If you need legal advice, please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. Farrah Martinez, Personal Injury Lawyer, Principal office is located in Houston, Texas.

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