Injury Victims Who Hire an Attorney Recover 3.5X More Money

Here’s a familiar scenario to many people: You were involved in a car crash that wasn’t your fault. Now you’ve got injuries and bills that you need to be compensated for. However, the at-fault driver’s insurance company is stringing you along, failing to answer your calls, and when they do, they’re giving you offers that are very, very low. You’re faced with a crucial decision: Do I accept a lowball offer or do I hire an attorney to help me?

Navigating an injury claim can be confusing, especially for individuals who have never dealt with the legal or insurance process before. Many people are unfamiliar with how claims are evaluated, what documentation may be relevant, or how long the process can take. This lack of familiarity can make it difficult to assess whether a settlement offer fully reflects the scope of an injury or its long-term impact.

Insurance claims often involve multiple steps, timelines, and technical requirements that may not be obvious to someone outside the legal field. From understanding policy language to tracking medical records and expenses, the process can quickly become overwhelming. As a result, some injury victims choose to seek professional guidance simply to better understand what is involved and what options may be available to them.

The truth is that insurance companies know they have the upper-hand when you are not represented.  They hold all the cards.  They try to rush you into a quick settlement before you have even had the chance to fully recover.  They do not care about your physical or financial recovery.  They only care about getting you to sign a settlement release so that they can close their file and their exposure.  The golden rule for insurance companies is – a quick settlement is a cheap settlement.   The last thing an insurance company wants is for you to get (heaven forbid) more medical treatment.  The last thing they want is for you to talk with an attorney who will inform you about your rights.  Insurance companies know that once these things happen, there will not be a cheap settlement, and studies prove it.

Numerous studies show that hiring a personal injury attorney to represent you in your injury claim increases your likelihood of settlement and increases the amount of compensation you receive.  In a study conducted by Lawyers.com, 91% of victims represented by a personal injury attorney received a payout, while only 51% of unrepresented victims did. Likewise, even after paying attorney’s fees, injury victims who were represented received nearly three times (3X) higher on average than those who were unrepresented.   That’s a huge difference!

Studies by the Insurance Research Council have shown similar results.  According to their research, 85% of all insurance payouts for bodily injury claims went to those who were represented by an attorney, and personal injury victims represented by an attorney received settlements that were nearly three and a half times higher (3.5X) than those without legal representation.

These studies confirm what we hear every day from injury victims who hire us.  Here is a typical example.  Just this week we closed out a client’s case and had a settlement disbursement.  Before she hired us, the insurance company offered her $8,500 for her claim.  That $8,500 was to be compensation for her medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.  Because she was lowballed, she sought out an attorney.  Within nine months, she received the medical treatment she needed to make a complete recovery, and we closed out of her with a settlement of $82,500, nearly 10X over what the insurance company first offered!  She was elated!  She said that if the insurance company just would have treated her fairly, she never would have been forced to hire us.  Sadly, too many people accept lowball offers and never consult with an attorney.  Don’t make that mistake.

Her experience is not an isolated story.  We see it all the time.  Insurance companies lowball injury victims with “take it or leave it” offers knowing that a non-lawyer is unable to do anything meaningful to force the insurance company to get real.  That dynamic is turned on its head though when an attorney is hired.  Now, the injury victim has the leverage because of the legal power to back up demands for fair compensation with action.  The insurance company knows that if they do not offer a fair amount, an attorney will act by filing a lawsuit against them making them spend more money hiring a defense attorney to defend a case.  Now the insurance company must pay two people – a defense attorney and you.

Typically, when a lawsuit gets filed, the insurance company transfers a claim for a lower-tiered adjuster (we call them “baby adjusters”) to a more seasoned “litigation adjuster.”  Getting your file into the right hands makes all the difference, because baby adjusters read off computer-generated prompts, are trained to lowball people, can’t do much without managerial approval, and are unfamiliar with real-world verdicts.  Conversely, litigation adjusters know the financial risk they have once attorneys get involved if they don’t resolve the case, which usually results in drastically higher settlement offers.

Every injury situation is unique. What works for one person may not be appropriate for another, and outcomes can depend on many variables, including the nature of the injury, available evidence, and insurance coverage. Taking the time to understand the process and available resources can help injury victims feel more confident as they move forward.

Ultimately, the decision to retain an attorney is completely yours. However, the statistics are clear: to increase your likelihood of success and ensure you are fully compensated, retaining a personal injury attorney is the way to go.  Besides these compensation benefits, doing so also removes the stress of negotiating with an insurance company, allows you to focus on your physical recovery, and increases the probability of you receiving the fullest physical, emotional, and financial recovery possible.

If you have been injured by the negligence of another, don’t fight the insurance company alone. Find out how we can help protect your interests. Give us a call and regain the leverage by hiring a board-certified personal injury attorney to help you.

Taking this step not only levels the playing field but also empowers you with the guidance, advocacy, and resources needed to move forward with confidence. An experienced attorney can help you understand your rights, avoid costly mistakes, and pursue the justice you deserve. Your recovery matters—and having the right legal team by your side can make all the difference as you work toward rebuilding your life.