I have written a book titled, The Michigan Motor Vehicle Book—And How To Avoid 7 Critical Insurance Claim Mistakes. In my book I discuss how injury cases are won or lost by actions taken—or by actions not taken—immediately following a motor vehicle accident.
One of the first questions to be addressed by most injured parties is whether they need to hire an attorney to help settle their claim and if so whom? In my book I explain that in 1999, an independent nonprofit research organization supported by leading property and casualty insurance companies and associations reported, “People who use an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney received on average three and a half (3 ½) times more money from settlements than those who settled on their own.”
Many people who contact the Barberi Law Personal Injury Legal Team start out their conversations with us by stating, “I am not the type of person who wants to sue anybody.” To that statement we respond, “We understand, and that is why we try as hard as possible to resolve all of our injury cases by settling a clients’ claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. We typically never talk to the other at-fault driver. And we typically don’t have to sue anyone, period.
It needs to be kept in mind that automobile insurance is there to protect all of us. Everyone that purchases auto insurance does so with the idea that I could make a mistake and injure someone—and if I do I want to have adequate insurance to compensate that injured party—and to protect myself and my family should the injured party be inclined to sue me. So, insurance by its very nature is a social program designed to spread the risk of injury to all of us who drive motor vehicles in Michigan.
Our track record at Barberi Law is winning our cases in court when we do have to file a lawsuit. This past winning record of in court cases causes most insurance companies to be ready to settle with us rather than run the risk of a much higher verdict coming from a jury trial. Accordingly, at Barberi Law we only litigate cases when we believe the insurance company of the at-fault driver is refusing to bargain with us in good faith to settle our clients’ claim.
With that said, taking the right steps to document an injured person’s case—including preserving evidence that might otherwise be lost—is often critical in receiving fair compensation for the injured party or the injured parties family in the case of a tragic death.
In my motor vehicle accident book, I provide answers to many of the frequently asked questions about auto accidents and why it almost always makes sense for an injured party or family to hire a local experienced accident attorney to help them obtain the best results in their particular accident claim.
I have also have written a book about buying auto insurance in Michigan which delves into Michigan’s new no fault laws. In my book, I make recommendations that I believe will be helpful to Michigan residents when deciding whether to opt-out of certain insurance coverages. With that being said, whenever you or a loved has been injured in a motor vehicle accident you don’t have to call 1-800-Detroit for answers to your questions. Our legal team at Barberi Law stands ready to make sure you get the best possible results—right here in Central and Northern Michigan.