Partner Steven Jacobson is featured in an interview in Lawyer Monthly magazine this month. Below is an excerpt from the article.
In a broad sense, how common are auto accidents in your jurisdiction, and what effect have you observed them to have on the lives of your clients?
Big accidents or small accidents, we have seen a client’s entire life be turned upside down because of the injuries they suffered. Injuries do not have to be catastrophic to impact every aspect of someone’s day-to-day life. Having a broken ankle means you cannot pick up your toddler or play with them when that is all they want you to do. Mundane things, like getting dressed in the morning, taking a shower, or even sleeping comfortably, become extremely time-consuming, challenging and frustrating. It is a domino effect that can impact marriages, life savings, and employment.
Films and television shows often portray injured individuals as a caricature of a person either faking or exaggerating their injuries. Usually, they are sitting in a lawyer’s office with a neck brace, trying to get paid. What they should show is the person at home wanting to go back to work, but unable because they just had surgery to fix their shattered leg. They should show that person terrified as their medical bills surpass $100,000 and the landlord is taping an eviction notice to their door.
What are the crucial factors to keep in mind when it comes to negotiating with insurance companies?
Even though insurance companies tell you that they will take care of things, they are not on your side. As I touched upon earlier, I always remind clients that an insurance company is a business. Their goal is to make money, for their owner or for their shareholders. They best accomplish this by not paying claims or paying significantly less than the true value. I always say to clients that if insurance companies did half of what they promise to do, I would be out of a job. Unfortunately, the insurance companies only care about one thing: their bottom line.
To continue reading the full article, click here https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2023/08/safeguarding-the-livelihoods-of-auto-accident-victims/
