Why You Should Handle Your Own Auto Accident Insurance Claim
Author: Dan Baldyga

When there's no question about the liability (that is, who's at fault for your accident) the non-lawyer person is fequently better motivated, and in most cases tempermentally better equipped, to do the job than the average lawyer - - especially when it comes to the undertaking of the less apealing, but always essential, aspects of the claims processing background work.

The reality is that most attorney's don't possess any specialized skills in accident investigation exertise, and are not required (or even expected!) to possess particular investigative knowledge in their claim settlement work. When there's no question who's at fault for the accident, auto liability claims work is a simple, routine, assembly-line type of effort rarely resolved by negotiation and settlement out of court. Knowledge of the law is secondary and does not apply in claims settlemtments for this reason:
The overwhelming majority of bodily injury cases (88% of them - - even in a high litigation jurisdiciton like New York City, for example) are settled and resolved outside the judicial sysem and through private negotiations between the two parties.

The lawyers handling of the investigation and data-gathering aspects of claims settlement work - - tasks like finding a critical eye-witness, searching out and interviewing a passenger present in a car accident, digging up a key photographer or photograph that can "make or break" a client's case, etc. - - is usually non-existant. Most lawyers either simply neglect or totally fail to devote much interest or attention, not to speak of passion, to the kinds of tasks, which, through tedious effort, are very often the crucial elements in claims settlement evaluation and work. A case in point is the typical negative attitude of lawyers on an issue like tracking down or securing potentially critical photographs of accident scenes or bodiy injuries that may possibly have been taken by others (whom he has no idea how to find) but are essential in establishing the fault and/or value of their client's case.

It's a mistake to assume that when it comes to the proper investigation of a client's motor vehicle accident (and how to intelligently create that particular client's file) is a skill that most lawyers have and/or develop. That simply isn't true!

If one is to learn how to handle it himself and not be forced to pay a staggering 33 1/3 (sometimes more) of the settlement to an attorney - - who has done little or nothing to earn it - - one should read Dan Baldyga's latest book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (HOW TO EVALUATE AND SETTLE YOUR LOSSE) can be found on the internet at http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com or your favorite bookstore.

Copyright (c) 2002 by Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER: This claim article WHY YOU SHOULD HANDLE YOUR OWN AUTO ACCIDENT INSURANCE CLAIM is intended for background information only. Its purpose is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor Self.Growth.com, makes any guarantee of any kind whatsoever, NOR purports to engage in rendering any professional or legal service, substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desied IT IS THE INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTIAN IT.








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Dan Baldyga is now retired. He was in claims for over 30 years as an adjuster, supervisor, manager and , a court and trial consultant on major motor vehicle accident insurance claims. He has had three "how to" settle your own insurance claim books published.

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