Accident Claim Solicitor
An accident claim solicitor is a specialized insurance legal professional. They often work behind the scenes and are rarely considered when thinking about insurance. However they serve an important part of the accident claim process. Most importantly, they can be a huge help to you if you believe your insurance company is not treating you fairly during a claim.
What is an accident claim solicitor?
An accident claim solicitor is either an employee of an insurance company or a third party contractor who works on the legal side of accident claim. They work closely with insurance adjusters, who are specially trained to assess damages and determine the monetary worth of claims. Some accident claim solicitors specialize in certain forms of insurance claims such as homeowners or medical insurance claims, while others work on a more generalized basis.
Accident claim solicitors are often locally based, while other, more specialized attorneys who work on particularly large, specialized or sensitive claims, work on a regional or even statewide basis. Like all attorneys, accident claim solicitors are generally admitted to the bar in only one or a handful of states. As a result of this, attorneys sometimes need to refer cases to other solicitors, where the loss occurs in a state where they are not admitted to practice law.
When do I need to hire an Accident Claim Solicitor?
You might want to consider hiring an accident claim solicitor if you have a dispute with your company while you are in the accident claim process. The majority of claims are worked just by a company-appointed insurance adjuster with no need for legal counsel of any sort since, while the company adjuster has the company’s best interests in mind, they usually try to give you the fairest claim possible as well.
However in some cases insurance companies may not treat you fairly. They may deny your claim even though it is legitimate, or may try to pay you less than your are entitled to. In this case you might want to consider hiring a third party accident claim solicitor or attorney to act on your behalf.
Many of the firms where you will find these solicitors will specialize only in accident claim. They will be able to tell you whether you have a case to challenge your insurance company, and will help you handle your case. Many firms will also hire third-party adjusters who will be able to give a second opinion on your claim.
How much will an Accident Claim Solicitor cost?
Accident claim solicitors will have a variety of different pay rates and schemes. Like many other lawyers, some will require a retainer fee before they do business with you, while others may not charge you unless you win your claim against the insurance company. In the event you win, their fee will be a predetermined percentage of your claim settlement. At any rate, you will agree on payment details before you hire your accident claim solicitor.
When looking for an accident claim solicitor, make sure you choose a reputable firm with experience in the type of claim you’re disputing. Your state bar association may be able to help you find a good firm.
