The answer is:  Yes.  You can certainly represent yourself.  The real question is:  Should you?  There are all kinds of potential land mines when dealing with insurance adjusters and you can be assured that they will ALWAYS try to low-ball you into thinking their offer is the most you will ever be able to get for a settlement.  Attorney Tim Bottaro, who dedicates 100% of his practice to personal injury claims, will work tirelessly to get the settlement you deserve to cover your medical bills, to cover your past and future pain and suffering, loss of wages, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and other damages allowed by law.

You can hire Attorney Tim Bottaro to handle your personal injury claim in one of two ways: ) Hourly or 2.) Contingency.  If you choose option Number 1, an hourly fee, you will be required to pay a retainer up front along with an amount to be applied towards expenses. Regardless of the outcome of your personal injury case, you would be required to pay Attorney Tim Bottaro for his time.

If you choose option Number 2, then the Contingency Fee is 1/3 of any settlement/verdict you receive.  For example, if you reach a $100,000.00 settlement/verdict for your personal injury claim, then $33,333.33 would be paid as the fee to Attorney Tim Bottaro for his work on your case. In addition, expenses advanced by Attorney Tim Bottaro would also be paid back.  With option Number 2, if you don’t recover anything you don’t owe Attorney Tim Bottaro a fee. You would still be obligated to repay any expenses advanced by Attorney Tim Bottaro.

There are several benefits to hiring a Personal Injury Attorney. Some of them vary depending upon your case.  The most significant benefits are:

• Hiring an attorney will stop the insurance companies from harassing you;
• Hiring an attorney will often result in you no longer having to deal with medical creditors or their collection agencies;
• Hiring an attorney will sort out what needs to be obtained or done to get your case ready for settlement negotiations and/or trial;

Hiring an attorney will bring a professional with experience to your side in all dealings related to your claim.

It is best to not give a statement to the insurance company until you have hired an attorney.  The attorney can walk you through the process and get you ready by preparing you for the questions likely to be asked by the insurance adjuster. Remember the insurance company representatives work for the insurance company and deal in these kinds of cases every day. This is likely the first time you’ve ever been involved in this situation.

You have to decide if you’re okay with being “David” to the “Goliath” insurance company. Remember, the insurance company is out to pay you as little as possible.  Therefore, it is always a good idea to have someone there to represent you and your best interests. Let a personal injury attorney help you get the benefits you deserve.

Right away the insurance company will want you to sign papers allowing them to access your medical history.  This is highly personal.  An insurance company should not have access to (potentially) your health history beyond your accident injuries.

The insurance company will want access to your employer to obtain lost income information.  This can include your personnel file, attendance, employment and payroll records from an employer or school.  Do you want an insurance company communicating with your employer?

Finishing your case is entirely dependent on your treatment and when you are released from care by the doctor(s). Your health and well-being should be your first priority.  Therefore, you need to have reached maximum medical improvement before you settle your case. If your case goes to trial then past, present, and future medical issues will largely be determined by the opinions of your care provider(s).

If you’re going to consider settling your case your treatment should be completed so your doctor(s) can tell you you’re done treating and you’ve made a full recovery or you’re going to continue experiencing problems as a result of your accident.