After a car crash, one of the first calls you or a family member may receive is not from a policeman, doctor, a repair shop, or even a family member—it is from an insurance company.
Sometimes the adjuster sounds friendly. Sometimes they tell you they want to "take care of everything." Sometimes they even make a settlement offer within days or weeks of the collision.
If the insurance company is already offering money, many people naturally ask:
"Why do I need an attorney?"
The answer is simple: the insurance company's goal is to close the claim, and if that is before you understand the full extent of your injuries, they may be able to close the claim for less. Your goal should be making sure you understand the full extent of your rights, injuries, damages, and future needs before you give those rights away.
You can only settle a personal injury case once. Once your personal injury claim is settled, there is typically no opportunity to come back later and ask for additional compensation—even if your injuries turn out to be far more serious than anyone initially realized.
At Plakas Mannos, we have spent decades helping individuals and families throughout Ohio navigate serious car accident claims. We know that the difference between a quick settlement and a fully investigated case can be life-changing.
The Insurance Company Is Not Representing You, the Crash Victim
One of the biggest misconceptions after a crash is that the insurance company will automatically identify all available coverage and explain every avenue of recovery available to an injured person.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
An insurance company's investigation is focused on its and its insured’s interests. Our investigation is focused on yours.
When we are retained, one of the first things we do is conduct our own independent evaluation of liability, damages, and insurance coverage. We do not simply accept what an adjuster tells us about who was at fault, how the crash occurred, or what insurance may be available.
Our team investigates:
- Liability and fault issues;
- All available insurance policies and coverage sources;
- Underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage;
- Commercial and umbrella policies;
- Potential third-party claims;
- Vehicle ownership and agency relationships; and
- Other sources of recovery that may not be immediately apparent.
In many cases, there is more coverage available than initially disclosed. In others, liability is far different than it first appears.
A thorough investigation can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of a claim.
Evidence Disappears Quickly
The hours and days following a serious crash are often the most important period for preserving evidence.
Modern vehicles contain extraordinary amounts of data. Commercial vehicles may contain infotainment systems of electronic logging information, GPS records, camera footage, and telematics data. Physical evidence from the scene can be lost. Witness memories fade. Surveillance footage is routinely deleted, as are text messages and other communications.
Once evidence disappears, it may be gone forever.
That is why serious injury and wrongful death cases require immediate attention.
At Plakas Mannos, we work with industry leading experts who assist us in investigating and preserving critical evidence before it is lost.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
- Accident reconstruction experts;
- Engineers;
- Human factors experts;
- Forensic evidence preservation professionals;
- Electronic data retrieval specialists; and
- Other technical experts necessary to determine what happened and why.
These experts can help identify causes of a crash that may not be obvious from a police report alone. They can also help preserve and analyze evidence that may ultimately become critical if litigation becomes necessary.
The reality is that many of the most important facts in a serious crash case are not discovered during the initial investigation. They are uncovered through careful, independent analysis, that takes an investment of time and attention to uncover.
You May Not Yet Know the Full Extent of Your Injuries
One of the most common mistakes injured people make is settling their car accident claim too early.
Immediately after a collision, it is often impossible to know the full extent of your injuries or how they will affect your life months or years into the future.
What initially appears to be a routine injury can later require:
- Surgery;
- Ongoing rehabilitation;
- Future medical treatment;
- Pain management;
- Related conditions such as arthritis,
- Permanent work restrictions; or
- Long-term disability accommodations.
Before any settlement is considered, it is important to understand not only your current medical condition, but also the likely future consequences of your injuries, both in terms of medical conditions and past and future economic expense.
A settlement should reflect the complete impact the crash has had, and will continue to have, on your life.
Insurance Companies Know Which Firms Are Willing to Go to Court
Perhaps the most important reason to hire experienced counsel is one that many people never consider: Insurance companies keep track of lawyers.
They know which attorneys routinely accept quick settlements. They know which attorneys avoid litigation. And they know which firms are willing to invest the time, resources, and effort necessary to pursue complex cases through trial.
At Plakas Mannos, we have a long history of handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases throughout Ohio.
We have represented individuals and families facing some of the most devastating circumstances imaginable, including:
- Catastrophic car crashes;
- Trucking and commercial vehicle collisions;
- Motorcycle crashes;
- Pedestrian crashes;
- Wrongful death claims;
- Life-altering orthopedic injuries;
- Traumatic brain injuries; and
- Other complex personal injury matters.
Our approach is straightforward: we prepare all of our cases as if they may ultimately be tried before a jury.
That preparation matters.
Insurance companies understand when a law firm has the experience, resources, and willingness to pursue a case beyond settlement negotiations if necessary. The credibility that comes from that reputation can significantly impact how a claim is evaluated.
You Focus on Healing While We Handle the Fight
Recovering from a serious car crash is difficult enough without having to manage adjusters, paperwork, medical records, coverage disputes, settlement negotiations, and subrogation.
One of our jobs is to take that burden off your shoulders.
While you focus on your recovery and your family, we focus on:
- Investigating the crash;
- Preserving evidence;
- Identifying all available insurance coverage;
- Working with experts;
- Documenting damages;
- Communicating with insurance companies; and
- Pursuing the accountability and compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a car crash, do not assume that an early settlement offer you negotiate on your own is the best course. Before you sign away your rights with an injury claim, make sure someone is looking out for your interests.
Our Ohio car accident lawyers are prepared to investigate, litigate, and, when necessary, take cases to trial to help our clients pursue the justice they deserve. Contact a car crash attorney from our experienced and compassionate team here at Plakas Mannos to discuss your case.
About the Authors
Maria Klutinoty Edwards is an attorney and partner who handles complex cases involving personal injury, wrongful death, business litigation, medical malpractice, and industrial accidents. Collin Wise works on a wide range of cases involving serious car crashes, commercial truck accidents, personal injury and wrongful death litigation.
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