Montana drivers are required to maintain a very low minimum liability insurance ($25,000) for injuries they cause to other motorists. Some drivers disregard the law and maintain no insurance at all. If a person with little or no insurance causes serious personal injury to you or a loved one, they may have little or no resources to cover expensive medical treatments and care. We have seen a rash lately of people with serious injuries who were struck by motorists with no insurance or low policy limits who are now faced with mounting medical bills. When purchasing or renewing your car insurance policy, tell your insurance agent you want to purchase enough uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to make sure you and your family are protected. (We recommend at least $100,000 of each.)
Insurance Company Claim Tactics Exposed in New AAJ Report
December 28, 2008
The American Association for Justice has just released its original research report on insurance company tactics. Entitled “Tricks of the Trade: How Insurance Companies Deny, Delay, Confuse and Refuse”, the report details how insurance companies reward claims adjusters for denying claims and reap profits by denying as many claims as possible. The report is available here: http://www.justice.org/resources/InsuranceTactics.pdf
Fortunately, in Montana, insurance companies have statutory duties to act fairly and in good faith towards insureds and non-insureds. If you believe your claim has been improperly denied, or an insurance adjuster is handling your claim unfairly, give us a call or submit your claim confidentially online through the Heenan Law Firm website.
Importance of hiring a Montana injury attorney
November 8, 2008
People often wonder whether it is necessary to hire an attorney after they’ve been injured in an accident. Oftentimes it is not. For instance, when the injuries are relatively minor, it may not make economic sense for you to hire an attorney. However, if your injuries are serious, or if you are not recovering from your injuries, you should always seek the input of an attorney before attempting to settle your claim. Why? Insurance adjusters offer lower claims to unrepresented people.
Its nothing malicious, its just a good attorney is able to put together a claim in such a way as to maximize the value of the case. What does this mean? An attorney gathers the relevant information, researches the applicable law, including the results of similar cases, and puts the information together in a compelling format. The Heenan Law Firm handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee, meaning you pay a portion of the ultimate recovery.
It almost always makes economic sense to hire an experienced injury attorney. Think about it this way- would you rather have 100% of $1,000 handling the case yourself, or receive 2/3 of a $100,000 settlement?
Unfortunately, I have seen too many times where people try to handle their own claim before seeing an attorney, only to find out they have done something to put their claim in jeopardy, or reduce their potential recovery. Almost every personal injury attorney will review your case at no charge. At the Heenan Law Firm, we honestly tell people whether they can recover more by hiring us or handling the case themselves. In those instances where we don’t take the case, we still take the time to provide people with the tools they need to achieve the best results, at no charge to them.
If you are wondering if you should accept the insurance company’s offer and give up your rights, give us a call first. We’ll honestly let you know your rights and options.
Auto Accidents in Montana
November 8, 2008
Auto accidents can have devastating consequences to individuals and their families. Pain and suffering, loss of income, stress, and complications are but a few of the issues that victims of auto accidents will encounter during their case. At the Heenan Law Firm, we understand what you are going through and are here to make your life a little easier by helping you assert your rights quickly and diligently to maximize your recovery.
