Secrets of a Personal Injury claim

You have been the victim of a car accident.  Do you know the process and the secrets of successfully winning your claim?

Understanding your rights as a victim is critical to your emotional, psychological, physical and financial well-being.

Choosing the Attorney to represent you is important.  If you missed that blog you can read it HERE.



Here are some secrets if your Personal Injury case you need to know:

1. Time is of the essence:  Because of Statute of Limitation you only have a certain amount of time to bring a lawsuit.  Please check you State's Statute of Limitations HERE.  Because of these statutes of limitations it is critical to speak with an Attorney as quickly as possible.   
2. Who do you sue?  Depending on the circumstances and the laws in your State will determine who will be sued.  Again, speaking with an Attorney about this as quickly as possible is essential.  
3. What will it cost me?  Most Personal Injury Attorney's offer a free consultation and if they take your case most will work on a contingency basis which means you will pay for nothing until they win your case.  Each Lawyer and Firm are different so make sure you know how their fees are collected during the consultation.  Remember to make that consultation work for you.  Please read HERE on how to make the most of this appointment.
4. How much will I get?  State laws will determine this so there is no real clear-cut answer to this question.  An Attorney can give you a clearer idea of what your injury is worth.  If you missed the blog on what your injury is worth you can read it HERE.
5. How long will it take?:  This is going to depend on so many different circumstances that there is no definite answer.  Remember you are going to be dealing with Insurance Companies that have Attorneys fighting NOT to pay you anything.  Finding the right Attorney to fight FOR YOU is essential.

Insurance Companies may offer you a quick settlement.  DO NOT accept it without talking to an Attorney about your rights!  

Going through a personal injury case is difficult for you both emotionally and financially.  Find an Attorney who will take that burden off of you so you can focus on getting better.  A Personal Injury lawsuit can take years so patience is important and remember it is not your Attorney who is keeping it from settling or going to court quickly.  Your Attorney wants what's best for YOU.  Your insurance company wants what's best for them.  Please read HERE for the secrets of car insurance.

The information provided here is not to be construed as legal advice.  Please consult an Attorney if you have any questions.  General questions about Colorado Personal Injury can be asked here and Carol Zeisler will gladly assist you in the proper direction for your situation

Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website.

Pueblo Office: 113 W. 12th Street  (Map it)

Colorado Springs Office:  422 E. Vermijo Ave., Suite 412 (Map it)

Promises and fine print of Insurance Companies

You trust your Insurance Agent...I get that.  What you need to realize is that your Insurance Agent works for a LARGE Insurance Company...they do not write the policies or the fine print.  They may want to fulfill their promise to you....but the LARGE Insurance Company DOES NOT!

The free dictionary defines:

Promise:  (noun)

1. A declaration assuring that one will or will not do something; a vow.
2. Something promised.
3. Indication of something favorable to come; expectation: a promise of spring in the air.
4. Indication of future excellence or success: a player of great promise.

Prom·ised, prom·is·ing, prom·is·es (verb)

1. To commit oneself by a promise to do or give; pledge: left but promised to return.
2. To afford a basis for expecting: thunderclouds that promise rain.

v.intr.

1. To make a declaration assuring that something will or will not be done.
2. To afford a basis for expectation: an enterprise that promises well.

What is fine print in a contract?  (Arrive Alive)

"Fine print is seen as controversial because of its deceptive nature. Even though the exact terms of the agreement is “technically” available to the consumer, it often designed to be overlooked. Consumers are baffled by the technical and insurance jargon typically used in insurance policy handbooks and contracts, and have difficulty to understand these terms in plain English. When some of the content appears to be “hidden” inside the contract, this poses a risk to the consumer.

The unsuspecting customer, who can instantly see the basic aspects of the agreement, will, due to natural impulsive behavior, time constraints, and/or personal need, generally not bother to learn the caveats, instead focusing on the positives of the agreement.

It is important to note that “fine print” in a car insurance policy should not be seen as necessarily being in a smaller “font” or letter type, but it rather refers to a term or fact to be found elsewhere in the contract in an annexure or from a link to another page or sub-clause!"

So what does all this mean to you?

You get all the promises up front to take care of you should you ever get into a car accident.  As Arrive Alive states:  the fine print is hidden so you don't understand or know what you are signing.  

So many people learn about the fine print after they have been in a car accident and the Insurance Company (who PROMISED) to take care of you) uses the fine print against you.

I would say that this qualifies as an oxymoron:  Is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Or some would say a contradiction in terms:  A statement that is necessarily false.

READ the fine print.  If you have to, take it home with you so you UNDERSTAND what it means.  It is our responsibility to understand what we sign.

Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website.

Pueblo Office: 113 W. 12th Street  (Map it)

Colorado Springs Office:  422 E. Vermijo Ave., Suite 412 (Map it)

"The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

What to do after a car accident: Who is the Insurance negotiator or adjuster?

We have talked about the secrets that the Insurance Companies don't want YOU to KNOW.

Here's another secret that you NEED to know about that they will NEVER tell you.

You get the call from the insurance company.  How they are so nice.  They tell you that they are glad that you are "okay" as that is their number one concern.  (Of course it is because you being okay means they don't have to pay you, right?)  Don't think for one moment their "care" of you being okay is because of you....it is all about the dollar.

Once the get your version (and it will be taped and they will try to "trip" you up or get you to admit fault...in a nice way of course) they will tell you that one of their adjusters will follow up with you. 

Here is the secret they don't want you to know:  Most adjusters and/or negotiators are ATTORNEYS and trust me they KNOW THE LAW!  What is even worse; they know the law so well that they can get you to say something that will reduce your future rights to any claims.  

I know what most people think when they hear the word "Attorney."  Depending on your experience (or the experience of a friend/family member) those thoughts could be "ugly fight," or "shyster" or "blood sucking" the list goes on and on and on.

I want to remind you of something:  There are bad people in EVERY profession.  We just tend to hear more about the "bad attorney" than we do the good ones...so the one's who fall into those thoughts give the good ones a bad name.....I mean Attorney jokes are some of the funniest because for some they are the truth.

Here's what YOU need to know:  The bad guys are on their side...the side of the insurance companies.   Their best interest, no matter what their job title is (Claims Adjuster, Negotiator, etc) is the INSURANCE COMPANY.  

YOU NEED AN ATTORNEY to fight them.  If you haven't already read past blogs about this situation, how to find a GREAT Attorney or what you need to know please click here and learn more about this.  

I hope you keep coming back for more information.


Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorneys at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website for more information.

Been involved in a car accident?  Tell me your story.

The information provided here is not to be construed as legal advice.  Please consult an Attorney if you have any questions.  General questions about Colorado Personal Injury can be asked here and Carol Zeisler will gladly assist you in the proper direction for your situation

What affects your car insurance rates

Why do you pay so much more than your next door neighbor who drives the same car?  

Why do you pay more than your mother who drives the same type of car?  

What are the secrets to your auto insurance premiums?

Let's face it....auto insurance does discriminate.  

• Single vs. married...yep.  If you are married you are more likely to pay less premiums than if you were single.  Also your job can affect your premiums.  
• Those of you who are in, what the insurance companies view as, high stress jobs; Attorney, Judges, Executives, Business Owners, etc. will pay a higher premium than other jobs such as actors, scientists, pilots, etc.  They look at the more stressful your job is the more likely you are to get into a car accident.
• Where you choose to live will also work in your favor or against you.  Those who live in urban areas will pay a higher premium than those who live in rural areas.  The justification; smaller towns mean less likely of getting into a car accident because there are less drivers on the road.
• We are all aware that younger drivers pay higher premiums and I have to agree with this.  As we get older, or should I say more experienced, we become better drivers therefore reduce our accident rate.  Did you know that your sex determines your rates also?  If you are male, single and under 25 you will pay higher premiums than most everyone else.
• Your credit history will determine your premiums also.  I am going to say that I do not agree with this, but who am I anyway, right?  The reasoning:  if you pay your bills on time and are not in "financial trouble" you are less likely to file a claim.  Here's my problem; what the heck does your credit history matter when you are involved in an auto accident?  But, again, who am I.
• How much you drive will lower or raise your premiums.  Work 40 miles from your home...oops you will pay more than someone who works 5 miles from their home.
• Your driving history.  Finally one I agree with......okay, agree with to a certain degree.  If you have multiple driving violations; DUI, speeding, etc. you get higher premiums because, yes, you chances of getting into a car accident is higher than those who don't violate the driving laws.  I, personally, do not want to pay the same premiums of those who cannot obey the driving laws.

So what can you do to lower your auto premiums?  Let's see, if you are a single male under 25, don't drive.  If you have a stressful job, quit and go work at McDonald's just make sure it is close to your home.  Pay your bills (okay you should do this anyway) and make sure that no matter what happens your bills get paid.  With the economy the way it is...I'm thinking if your auto insurance gets paid and a credit card doesn't...they would be happy and lower your premiums because you see them as "more important" but, again, what do I know?  And finally, move to a small town (hopefully they have a McDonald's there).  

I look at my premiums.  I have been in two big car accidents which NEITHER was my fault.  I have only those two blemishes on my record.  I have no speeding tickets on my record, no DUI's, nothing.  BUT because I have filed two claims: because I have under-insured and uninsured motorist coverage on my policy (which I pay for each month) my premiums are higher.  Why offer these types of coverage if you are going to be penalized if you use them....seriously whose fault is it that the person who hit you isn't adequately covered?

Stay tuned for more about Insurance secrets that you were probably not aware of.

Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorneys at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website for more information.