What Happens After a Long Island Automobile Accident Lawyer Takes Up Your Case?

Once a Long Island automobile accident lawyer takes up your case, he or she will usually begin to investigate by calling witnesses and reviewing police reports. He or she may have to review relevant laws to evaluate your claim’s merits. The attorney will collect your medical bills and records in order to determine the value of your case for settlement or trial purposes.

Your Long Island automobile accident lawyer will usually wait until he or she is sure that your injuries will no longer develop further complications that may increase the value of your case. This precaution is taken because after an automobile accident case is settled and the release is signed, there is no way to get paid any further damages even if your injuries become significantly more severe.

H2 Letter of Representation

The attorney will usually send a letter of representation to all the insurance companies involved basically informing them of the case. The insurance companies will open up a personal injury case file and respond to your Long Island automobile accident lawyer. Insurance companies are required by law to investigate the facts and the potential personal injury cause of action. When the attorney is sure that your injuries are past all possibility of becoming more severe, he or she will send a settlement package to the insurance company.

This settlement letter usually includes an evaluation of the permanency of the injury, if any, and describes the pain and suffering of the client as well as any lost wages and medical bills incurred. The attorney includes in the settlement package an initial demand for settlement of the case.

H2 Settlements and Lawsuits

The insurance company will usually reply to the letter with either an offer to settle the case or a denial of liability. If the insurance company is denying liability in the case and refusing to pay anything, then the Long Island automobile lawyer will have no choice but to file a lawsuit to seek damages. In the event that a settlement offer is made to the attorney, there usually will be a period of negotiation to see if the parties can agree to a settlement amount.