The value of legal representation after a serious car accident can’t be understated; the entire recovery system aside from the victim harmed in an accident, is geared against the interest of the victim, whether that be a driver or passenger. Despite all our modern medicine and the marketing of how well insurance provides key safety nets for the average consumer, when it comes time for that safety net to work, things start falling apart. It doesn’t have to be this way, and in many ways, other countries have been putting the United States to shame as a result. However, the consumer is not alone; he or she can bring a legal representative into the case to drive non-responding parties to the table.
Whose Interests are Being Served Here?
In a typical vehicle accident, some institutions are almost always immediately involved. Two of them are usually insurance companies, one for the driver responsible and one for the other driver involved. There can be others, but for the sake of discussion and simplicity, at least two insurance companies have an immediate stake in the matter at any time. Due to the nature of insurance, their tasks are to investigate claims and, if genuine, reduce the costs as low as possible. Both have a contractual obligation to protect their covered parties, and they at least tend to be responsive to find out what happened. Many states require drivers to notify their insurance companies within a few days of an accident.
Additionally, where it applies, is the medical industry. It comes in many forms, but this sector is represented by health insurance and health providers. The former is focused on profit in health risk management, and it is intent on doing similar to vehicle insurance in managing claims. The second is a business venture looking to make a profit by providing health care. So it seeks to charge out services as much as possible.
The injured party expects their injuries to be addressed and property loss or damage to be restored. However, given all the above, there is very little fully working in the interest of the victim in the mix.
Changing Up the Typical Paradigm
If an accident victim does nothing else, both insurance companies and the medical side will try to package all the costs of the accident for as little as possible and as quickly as possible. Any approval by the victim becomes a settlement and closes off any other recovery, typically hidden in fine print language. The medical side functions perfectly until the insurance company’s assistance is shut off, at which point their billing offices go after the patient for full payment due to pre-signed documentation. Without additional health insurance, collections begin to make things personal. This is the standard pattern, with no additional accountability.
However, with a car accident injury lawyer like the ones at Killian Law (https://www.killianlaw.com/car-accidents/) on the victim’s side, the above stops in its tracks. The victim is no longer swapped into settlement traps or cut off on medical support when it’s needed most or because the related expenses are growing. Instead, legal representation pushes that responsibility back on the parties involved and protects the victim.
