Will I Get a Bigger Settlement If I Hire a Lawyer?

After a car accident, you’re faced with a critical decision: should you handle the insurance claim on your own or hire a personal injury lawyer? Many people hesitate, worrying that the lawyer’s fee will eat up any potential gains. They think, “The insurance company seems reasonable. Maybe I can get a fair deal on my own and save the money.” It’s a logical thought, but one that is often based on a misunderstanding of the insurance claims process.

So, let’s address the bottom-line question directly: Will you get a bigger settlement if you hire a lawyer?

While there are no guarantees in any legal case, the data and decades of experience are overwhelmingly clear: Yes, in almost all cases involving a personal injury, a claimant who is represented by an experienced attorney will receive a significantly higher settlement than someone who handles the claim on their own. This is true even after the attorney’s contingency fee is deducted.

This isn’t because of a magic trick; it’s because lawyers possess the knowledge, skills, and leverage that a layperson simply does not have.

Useful Information for You: In a Nutshell

• Yes, Statistically You Will: Industry studies have consistently shown that, on average, personal injury claimants who hire a lawyer receive settlements that are substantially larger than those who do not, even after accounting for legal fees.
• Lawyers Know the True Value of Your Claim: An attorney knows how to calculate complex damages like pain and suffering and future medical needs, which unrepresented claimants often drastically undervalue.
• They are Professional Negotiators: You are an amateur negotiator going up against a professional insurance adjuster. A lawyer levels that playing field.
• The Threat of a Lawsuit is Your Biggest Leverage: An insurance company’s primary motivation to offer a fair settlement is to avoid being taken to court. Without a lawyer, that threat is not credible.
• They Handle Everything: A lawyer manages the entire complex process, reducing your stress and allowing you to focus on your recovery.

Why Lawyers Secure Larger Settlements: Leveling the Playing Field

1. They Understand the Full Value of Your Damages

An unrepresented person typically thinks of their claim in terms of their current medical bills and lost wages. An experienced attorney knows the claim is much larger. They will build a case that includes:

• All Past and Future Medical Expenses: Including projected costs for surgeries or therapies you might need years from now.
• All Past and Future Lost Wages: Including the impact on your long-term earning capacity if you have a permanent injury.
• The Full Value of Your Pain and Suffering: This is the most significant area. Lawyers understand how to document and argue for the true value of your physical pain and emotional distress, a component that insurance companies will always try to minimize.

2. They are Skilled Negotiators

The insurance adjuster you speak with is a professional negotiator. They handle hundreds of claims a year and are trained in specific tactics to get you to accept the lowest possible offer. You, on the other hand, have likely never done this before. Hiring a lawyer puts a professional with equal or greater negotiating skill in your corner. They know the tactics, they know the law, and they know what a fair settlement for a case like yours in Pierce County actually looks like.

3. They Have the Ultimate Leverage: The Threat of a Lawsuit

This is the single most important reason. Why would an insurance company pay you the full, fair value of your claim if they don’t have to? Their primary motivation to make a fair offer is to avoid the risk and expense of being taken to court by a skilled trial lawyer.

When you represent yourself, the threat of a lawsuit is not credible. The insurer knows you don’t have the knowledge or resources to successfully sue them. When you hire a reputable attorney, that threat becomes very real. The insurance company’s entire negotiating posture changes, and they are forced to evaluate your claim based on what a jury might award, not on what they can get away with paying you.

4. They Have Access to Experts

In serious cases, proving your damages may require testimony from medical experts, accident reconstructionists, or forensic economists. An established law firm has a network of these experts and the financial resources to hire them to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.

Hiring a lawyer is not about giving away a piece of your settlement; it’s about maximizing the total value of the settlement to begin with. The increase in the final offer that a skilled attorney can secure typically far outweighs their fee.

If you have been injured in a car accident in the Tacoma area, don’t try to go it alone against a powerful insurance company. Search the Car Accident Lawyer Directory Tacoma to find and compare trusted local attorneys. A free consultation will cost you nothing and can give you a clear understanding of what a professional can do to protect your rights and fight for the full value of your claim.

References

• Insurance Research Council (IRC) – “Auto Injuries: Claiming Behavior and Its Impact on Insurance Costs”:This and similar industry studies have shown that represented claimants receive substantially higher settlements on average than unrepresented claimants.

  (Note: The IRC is a subscription-based industry source, but its findings are widely cited in the legal field.)

• Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) – Public Resources on Hiring a Lawyer:Official guides explaining the role of a lawyer and the benefits of professional representation in a legal dispute.

  https://www.wsba.org/for-the-public/find-legal-help