Dealing With Insurance Companies:

If you’re in an accident, a key decision you have is whether to hire a lawyer to help make your claim. Some accident victims adopt a “first I’ll try it myself” approach. They start off handling their claim alone, figuring that if things start to go bad, then they’ll hire a lawyer.
The “first I’ll try it myself” approach is a bad idea. Many things are done early in your personal injury claim that greatly affect your case. For example, evidence is gathered, statements are made, and medical and other records are obtained. If you make a mistake in the early stages of your case, it can hurt you later or even cause you to lose your case.
Insurance adjusters know that some accident victims first try to go it alone, and they take advantage of the victim’s not knowing how to build and protect their claim.
A much better approach is to get a lawyer’s help right after the accident. Your lawyer can obtain evidence, be present when statements are made, tell you what to sign and not to sign, and take other steps to get you the most compensation. Starting out handling your case alone and figuring you’ll get a lawyer involving when things go bad almost always results in a bad outcome- and many things can’t be undone.