If you have been involved in a road traffic accident, your insurance company may provide legal advice or support from their panel of solicitors to help you pursue a personal injury claim. However, you are entitled to seek your own legal representation, and choosing the right solicitor is crucial.
In a recent case, a Dallas McMillan client was initially offered £2000 to settle his personal injury claim by an insurance company. His case ultimately settled for five times this amount, as we were able to provide expert advice and guidance on the true value of his claim. The importance of instructing your own legal representation cannot be understated as we will explain.
The case involved a 16-year-old who was a passenger in a car. The driver of the vehicle swerved onto the opposite side of the road and collided with another vehicle. As a result, the passenger suffered physical and psychological injuries.
Prior to instructing Dallas McMillan, our client liaised with the fault driver’s insurance company regarding treatment and compensation for his injuries. The insurer made a £2000 “pre-medical offer” (an offer made without sight of medical evidence) to settle his claim, as well as an offer of physiotherapy. He felt the Insurers were eager to settle his claim as soon as possible without interest in the true extent of his injuries.
He contacted Dallas McMillan for a free, initial consultation. Following a brief conversation with our team, we provided legal support and guidance on a No Win No Fee basis. We took over the handling of his claim and instructed appropriate medical reports, as well as additional medical imaging, which allowed us to determine the true value of the claim. His case settled for £10000; an £8000 increase on the original offer made by the insurance company.
The offer of legal assistance from an insurance company may initially seem convenient and stress-free, although the process can be anything but. Insurance companies also deal with a high number of claims meaning your case could very easily be ignored or overlooked.
Commonly, insurance companies will make a pre-medical offer to settle your claim. When they do that, it is highly likely that the value of your injuries will be significantly underestimated. If our client had accepted the initial pre-medical offer in this case, he would have been unable to pursue a further claim for the additional compensation that represented the true value of his claim.
A specialist Personal Injury solicitor will advise on any offer of settlement and provide you with all options available to you. They can also take over communication with insurance companies to minimise any further stress on you and deal with your claim in an efficient way that is designed to benefit you and not to minimise costs to an insurance company.
Our Personal Injury Department will always work in your best interests and have the expertise to ensure that all aspects of your claim are considered. This includes instructing and advising on medical evidence, arranging for further treatment or rehabilitation, and considering any other losses such as loss of earnings, services or other expenses.
Insurance companies will often attempt to settle personal injury claims quickly and for as little compensation as possible. We will ensure that your claim is only settled when it is in your best interest to do so, and for the amount you deserve.
We provide unbiased legal advice whereas advice provided by the insurance company may not be completely impartial, and their guidance may be aligned with the insurer’s interest rather than your own. We provide honest, transparent, and strategic advice, to ensure you understand your rights and the overall process of your claim.
Our team will also communicate with you throughout every step to provide case updates, and to give you the opportunity to ask questions whenever they arise.
The purported convenience of accepting a solicitor or legal advice from an insurance company can be attractive, but doing so can affect the amount of compensation you are entitled to. Dallas McMillan will work to secure the best possible outcome, ensuring that all aspects of your injury and losses are accounted for.
If you need advice or assistance in respect of a personal injury claim, please contact Alanis.Hunt@dallasmcmillan.co.uk or any other member of our Personal Injury department for a free, confidential consultation
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