If you have been injured, you need to know that insurance companies like to settle claims quickly and at a low price before you get an attorney to help you understand your rights and how much your case is worth.

The insurance company’s representative (usually called the “adjuster”) may well be friendly and express concern for you. However, you must remember that it is not the job of the adjuster to protect your interests; the adjuster’s job is to protect the insurance company’s interests. Insurance adjusters are generally familiar with the law of personal injury and will use that knowledge to their advantage.

Call (608) 238-2728 or email us at clausen_severson for a free evaluation of your case so you know your rights – including your right to take your case to a jury trial if appropriate or to settle for an amount that fairly reflects your injuries and losses.

Risks you may be taking by handling the case on your own, even in the early stages:

Settling too soon or too cheaply (or both)

If you settle and later learn that your injuries are more severe or long-lasting than you and your doctors anticipated or if you decide that you simply did not get enough money for your injuries, you most likely will not be able to reopen the settlement, even if in hindsight the settlement seems unfair. (The Whited case, described in the “Notable Cases” page of this website, represents the rare exception.)

Legal pitfalls

Missing deadlines may be fatal to your case, even if you had no idea there was a deadline. (This includes deadlines for filing a “notice of claim” or for filing your lawsuit.)

Where appropriate, we try cases to juries. If you have been hurt and wonder whether you have a claim worth pursuing, we will review your case at no charge.

If we believe your case has merit and you retain us to pursue it, we charge a contingent fee, typically a third, plus costs.

If we decline to represent you because your claim involves an area of law with which we are not familiar, we will attempt to refer you to an attorney with the appropriate background.