You’ve been injured in a car accident and it wasn’t your fault. You’re frustrated because you don’t have a working vehicle, you need medical care, and you’re not sure who is going to pay your medical bills. The insurance company representing the person who caused the accident wants your recorded statement. You just received a letter from the hospital saying they’ve filed a “lien” against you for a bill you thought was already paid by your medical insurance provider.

The problems accident victims face after they’ve been injured in an auto collision can be overwhelming. In addition to seeking medical treatment for their injuries, they must make numerous decisions associated with their accident claim, mostly in areas that are unfamiliar to them.

Trying to negotiate your own claim with insurance companies may result in frustration and little success. If you begin communication with the third-party insurance company and you later hire an attorney to represent you, those prior statements may become an impediment to the successful resolution of your case.

A personal injury office such as Hollingsworth Kelly is comprised of experienced attorneys and staff who can help you if you’ve been injured in an auto accident. They are ready to answer your accident-related questions, and they’ll work closely with you until your case is settled. They’re also experienced in working on liens. They will make sure any liens filed against you are valid, and if possible, will negotiate a reduction of those liens.

The attorneys at Hollingsworth Kelly have the experience to recover a fair and just settlement for your accident-related injuries. No fee is due until your case is resolved.

Category: Auto Accidents Tags: car accident attorney, car accident lawyer

Why is it important to know how well an attorney performs in trial?
Because the insurance companies certainly do. The reality is that the only personal injury and medical malpractice cases pursued are those where there is insurance coverage, absent an individual having substantial personal assets.

Insurance companies are aware of the fact that of the over 2,000 attorneys in a community like Tucson, less than five percent have actual, significant courtroom experience. And of that five percent, even less have consistent, successful jury trial outcomes. When a lawyer doesn’t have a proven track record, insurance companies know they can get away with undervaluing an injured person’s claim.

When insurance companies know that a personal injury lawyer is willing to take a case to trial, and has proven time and time again that he or she can obtain excellent results, they are far more likely to pay full value for injuries. This is a basic economic principal involving a risk/exposure analysis.

How do you find out about a lawyer’s track record?
It’s simple. Ask the attorney to show you. There are two ways jury trial results are recorded. The first is a Minute Entry, a document generated by a judge at the conclusion of a trial. A lawyer should have a compilation of minute entries to prove his or her record.

Perhaps a more valuable method of documenting trial results is through the Trial Reporter, a publication that summarizes the history of each trial, along with strategies employed, witness testimony, closing arguments and trial results. Pre-trial negotiations are also included.

By requesting and reviewing these historical accounts, you should easily be able to form an opinion about the skill level of an attorney, which will assist you in making a wise choice when hiring an attorney to represent you in a serious personal injury case due to an auto accident or medical malpractice in the Tucson area.

Category: Selecting an Attorney Tags: choosing an attorney, how to find an attorney, medical malpractice attorney, personal injury attorney, the best attorney

Purchasing auto insurance is one of those activities that most consumers don’t put much thought into. They know they have buy auto insurance because the law requires it.

Most consumers either call their family insurance agent, or the insurance company with the most clever TV commercial. But not putting much thought into your car insurance purchase could have dire consequences if you are injured in an auto accident.

Typically, consumers buying car insurance tell their insurance agent they want "full coverage." Their policies will be written so that they are protected should they be at fault for an accident.

However, we frequently see problems when consumers do not request additional coverage in case they are injured in an auto accident by a person who is not insured (uninsured) or does not have adequate insurance (underinsured). Unfortunately, during an economic downturn, this problem is even more pronounced, with more people driving around with little or no insurance coverage.

Uninsured (UM) coverage will protect you if you are injured by someone who does not have insurance; Underinsured (UIM) coverage will protect you if you are injured by someone who does not have enough liability insurance to adequately compensate you for the injuries they caused you in an auto accident.

Your policy should include coverage for UM, UIM, and Medical Payments (Med Pay). The policy limits for UM/UIM will depend on the coverage you selected on your policy. We recommend that you carry as much coverage as you can reasonably afford, but if at all possible, you should request policy limits of no less than $100,000/$300,000. If you can afford higher limits, by all means you should increase these limits. Med Pay should be at minimum $5,000.

Declarations Page

We urge you to review the Declarations Page of your auto insurance policy for UM, UIM and Med Pay coverage. Make an appointment with your insurance agent to add coverage in these three areas if they are not included in your policy. 

This information is provided by the Hollingsworth Kelly to help you select the right coverage for your auto insurance needs. All too often, we see people who are injured by someone who does not have adequate insurance coverage. All insurance decisions should be discussed with your auto insurance agent so that you can make an informed decision to best suit your needs. This information is not intended to serve as legal advice.

Category: Auto Insurance Tags: auto accident lawyers, car accident lawyers, personal injury attorneys, underinsured motorist, uninsured motorist