This is the next post in our series on dealing with insurance companies in Hartford, Connecticut personal injury cases. Our last article discussed why injury cases may take a significant amount of time to settle. It is important to understand that settling with the insurer, before your damages are fully understood, can result in you receiving an amount which is less than the cost of future medical care or your lost wages. By taking the time necessary to gain a full understanding of your situation, you help to ensure that you receive all of the compensation which you deserve. In this article I will discuss another important topic – the need to retain an attorney with sufficient resources to handle your matter. If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident then contact our office today to speak with a lawyer.
It is common for a personal injury lawyer to expend significant amounts of money when handling cases where a victim has been seriously injured. If the victim does not prevail at trial, or otherwise settle the matter, then counsel will not be reimbursed for these costs. In cases involving serious injury, or wrongful death, these costs may reach amounts in the tens of thousands. This can include the costs for expert witnesses, accident reconstructionists, vocational and rehabilitation specialists, and high discovery costs (such as the cost for depositions, etc.). Even if the victim does prevail, the law firm will not be reimbursed for such costs until the case is resolved – which can take years. This means that a law firm which accepts cases involving serious injuries must be able to pay these costs up front and risk the possibility of waiting years to be repaid, if at all.
It is, unfortunately, not uncommon for smaller law firms to accept large personal injury cases which they do not necessarily have the resources to handle. This can result in the attorney having to drop the case in the middle of the litigation process. For obvious reasons, this can place the victim in a very bad situation. Such situations can include the lawyer not retaining necessary experts and thus not having their crucial testimony at trial. It can also include the matter not being fully investigated or leads not being followed through the discovery process. In extreme (and likely unethical) situations, an attorney may even suggest that the client accept a settlement from the insurance company that is not in their best interest in order to end the litigation. Obviously, none of these situations are good for the victim. Such instances can be avoided by retaining an attorney with sufficient resources to handle the matter.
When interviewing firms to handle your case, we suggest you consider those who have a history of handling personal injury cases and who indicate that they have the financial means to front these costs. This will help to ensure that your matter is handled properly by a firm that is able to devote the necessary resources to the matter. We have been serving the area for over fifty years and multiple attorneys are involved with our firm. We handle a significant number of injury cases and we pride ourselves on providing quality service. Call today to speak with our Hartford injury lawyers. We also service the Connecticut areas of Wethersfield, New Britain, Bristol, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, East Hartford, Glastonbury, and Manchester, as well as the Middlesex County cities of Middletown and Cromwell.
