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I've heard it said that it's better to use a third-party private atty. rather than your insurance co. to argue your case. Why's that? Seems to me that your ins. co. in representing you is in effect representing itself.
Use the insurance, that is what you pay for. They do not want a loss, so they have great representation.
What you say makes perfect sense and that's why I cannot understand why some people beat the drum for pvt. attys. -- unless they have close relatives who are attys.
The decision should hinge on the reason you need a lawyer.
If there's a chance that there might be a conflict-of-interest between you and your insurance, (IE: you dispute that your policy's fine print applies, or you feel your insurance's value appraisal is low), then you may need your own lawyer.
If it's all about you vs. who caused the loss,then your insurance's lawyer should be fine.
A friend of mine is a founding member of a big personal injury law firm in twin cities. As friends asked on Facebook, he listed the only worthwhile insurance companies and the absolute worthless ones his company takes money from non stop. One of the worst has a tv character that rhymes with Blow.
One question I do have, if I ever have to hire him via vehicle accident, will my insurance company drop me? I have what he considers the top company.
Unless you are dealing with huge dollars it does not make sense to hire an outside lawyer.
Whether it is the insurance company or your personal bank account, neither can afford to hire a good lawyer to spend enough time on your case to do a good job. If the issue is less than $50,000 and, unless it is really simple, less than $100,000, whatever lawyer you use is not going to make much on your case and has to spend as little time on it as possible. Remember their focus is on making money, not on helping you. I suspect what you "heard" is probably initiated by a small time lawyer or a lawyer association. The going rate for a good lawyer is $400 - $450 an hour in most locations. Even a small case requires 25 - 50 hours of prep time and appearances, consulting, writing, etc. Most cases will involved over 100 hours if they go to trial. Some lawyers take cases on a fixed fee and then try to get as many settled early as possible, so they make up for he losses on the ones that go to trial. Still they put very little effort into ones that go to trial because they are usually already losing money. .
he listed the only worthwhile insurance companies and the absolute worthless ones his company takes money from non stop. One of the worst has a tv character that rhymes with Blow.
Ya the Blow gal and the lizard company. Great.
Neighbor dumped local agent and got one of these companies because he "saved" money. Got into a fender bender on his 2 year old pickup truck. The Blow/Lizard insurance company stated he had to get used parts for the grill bumper and headlight and ordered him to go to one of their "authorized" body shops.
I've heard it said that it's better to use a third-party private atty. rather than your insurance co. to argue your case. Why's that? Seems to me that your ins. co. in representing you is in effect representing itself.
Because your insurance company only cares about getting paid for the car. They don't care about your missed work or pain and suffering and won't work as hard to get that for you.
Neighbor dumped local agent and got one of these companies because he "saved" money. Got into a fender bender on his 2 year old pickup truck. The Blow/Lizard insurance company stated he had to get used parts for the grill bumper and headlight and ordered him to go to one of their "authorized" body shops.
Ya, he saved money.
Is there some reason you aren't saying Progressive or Geico?
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