In many instances following an accident of any type, the injured victim is unable to work and waiting for insurance payments can cost them dearly. Without an income, they may not have enough money to make their mortgage payment, pay utility bills and buy food, in addition to medical expenses. While they negotiate with an insurance company, presuming the responsible party will accept accountability for the injury, they run the risk of losing everything while waiting for an acceptable settlement offer.
Even once they do receive the settlement payment, their past due bills may have already reported late payments to the credit reporting agencies, putting a black mark on their credit report. Many legal firms in the northwest part of the country can take some of the sting out of waiting for a settlement but advancing a portion of the anticipated settlement amount to keep the injured victim's financial house in order while they wait.
Many times a Washington personal injury attorney will accept cases on a contingency basis, meaning if they do successfully recover reimbursement, they do not get paid. In most instances, no retainer is charged and the entire fee for the attorney's services is collected at the conclusion of the case. They usually also have a good idea about the amount of money they will be able to collect for their client and are willing to make partial payments of the expected settlement to the injured to take the worry out of their finances.
Since most injured victims should be concentrating on their recovery, having a portion of the anticipated settlement available while they wait for their case to wind through the courts, they can take better care of themselves and their family. The Washington personal injury attorney offering this type of service will deduct any payments made prior to the settlement from the final payout, as part of the settlement offer. In order to offer this type of advance, the attorney is usually confident in their case as if they fail to win any settlement from the responsible party, the victim will usually not have to pay back the money they were advanced.
While attorney fees for a personal injury claim may seem high to most victims, they have to realize the amount of work that goes into the case as well as the number of different people involved. There may be a need to doctors and other specialists to detail the extent of their injuries as well as the others to offer a prognosis as to the what the future holds. Some insurance companies may seem interested in reaching a quick settlement, but usually not for the benefit of the injured victim.
They may attempt to reach a victim before they have an opportunity to speak with an attorney and offer an amount to pay for immediate needs, but offer nothing for the future. Once an injured party signs a settlement agreement the insurance company as well as those it represents is released from any future claims deriving from the same incident.
