AboutDoctor Settlement Expertise 27 years of front line plaintiff`s trial lawyer experience in PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIMS. Along with other attorneys and insurance adjusters, we have created a website to help injured people settle their own personal injury claims. With the help from feedback from hundreds of satisfied members, www.settlementcentral.com has become THE AUTHORITY for Internet personal injury insurance claim settlements. I am humbled and honored if people can benefit from my experience and current volunteer work in helping injured people. I hope I can explain things in a manner that is useful for the questioner. If not, do not hesitate to e-mail me and I will take a second shot at it! Best Wishes for your physical and financial recovery.
Experience
Life Experience: 27 years of front line plaintiff's trial lawyer experience
Organizations: American Trial Lawyers Association (AAJ)
Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Awards and Honors:
I am humbled and honored everytime I am selected to help injured people. And when people give feedback that they have benefited from my experience and current volunteer efforts, then that is a double honor and award for me.
Question I was involved in an accident which put me out of work for a while. I have spending my savings i had since the accident. The insurance co are dragging their feet. Liability is clear but they dont want to pay. As the saying goes insurance co has enough money to make mistakes. But need a cash advance. Do you know a reliable company i can use? My lawyer havent been answering or returning my calls. How do this process work? I wanted to take to him but he is busy. I know these company charge high rates and this should be last resort and it is. I have no money left im almost at the point where i cant pay for my living expenses. Its still a claim my lawyer havent file suit yet.
Answer Hi John,
The insurance industry LOVES victims with no money. They know that you will cave in and accept a lesser settlement than you deserve. Hence, they WILL NOT pay any medical specials or wage losses up front. They WANT you to suffer and to be desperate for cash. That way, you are ripe for getting abused in terms of taking a low ball offer rather than fighting for what is right.
You are also correct in that these firms that loan money to tort victims CHARGE OUTRAGEOUS INTEREST. They have to since it is a risky loan. You could not qualify for the loan from a bank, and they know that. So if the case does not end up in a victory for you, they will be left high and dry. Hence, as a high risk loan, it also merits a very high rate of interest.
I would NOT take one of those loans. You need to get on with your life and focus on financial discipline so that you could get by with a small loan from a bank. Why are you so far behind in your cash? If you have a wage loss issue, make sure that you are not ignoring your first party rights under your own policy.
First party wage loss payments via PIP (Personal Injury Protection) or no-fault will tide you over until you get back to work.
As for the attorney, you will get his attention with a certified letter telling him that if he does not get your case out for settlement within one week you will seek other counsel. Another way to do it is to go to another attorney and have that attorney obtain your file so she can review it and advise you if she could do a better job.
DON'T YOU GET INVOLVED in demanding your file; let the second attorney do that. I guarantee you that the first attorney will jump on the work ASAP if he ever gets your file back!
Don't despair of not having a lawsuit as of now. Maybe your attorney is working behind the scenes to achieve a great settlement. Or maybe NOT. In any event, the first steps should be to get out a good demand letter. If your attorney has not done this by now, maybe it is time to look elsewhere.
I trust that my time here has produced some information that has been of value to you, and thus I would respectfully request that you take the time to locate the FEEDBACK FORM on this site and leave some feedback for me.
