One of the most important decisions in a personal injury case is choosing a lawyer who is focused on your net recovery, not just their fee.

Many lawyers focus on one number: the settlement. Once they reach what they consider a “good” result, the case is over. They collect their fee, and the rest, like insurance liens and unpaid medical bills, comes out of the client’s share.

But a lawyer who truly puts the client first looks beyond the top line settlement number; they focus on what the client will actually take home at the end of the case.

This all played out in a tragic case involving my client, DB.

DB sustained life-threatening burns in a devastating house fire while vacationing with friends in a beach rental.

Tragically, two others suffered burns and three of his friends lost their lives, all because the home owner and rental company failed to have enough functioning smoke detectors and fire exit ladders.

 To compound the tragedy, there was limited insurance available to compensate all of the victims, which made the recovery process more challenging from the start.

But the biggest obstacle for DB was not just securing a settlement, it was protecting what he would ultimately receive.

The problem was that DB’s health insurance company had paid over $1 million for his care and had a legal right, called Subrogation, to be reimbursed what it paid from DB’s settlement. Without action by his attorneys, the lion’s share of DB’s settlement would have gone to the insurance company.

This is where the difference between lawyers becomes clear.

Some lawyers stop working hard once the settlement is reached. At that point the fee has been earned. Additional work to negotiate and reduce a health insurance lien or other medical bills does not increase the lawyer’s fee—it only increases what the client keeps. That means it requires extra time and effort without more compensation that not every lawyer is willing to invest.

We are.

In DB’s case, we worked extensively with the health insurance company and were able to convince it to significantly reduce the lien.

That effort made a meaningful difference in DB’s net recovery.

The lesson is simple: don’t just ask what your case is worth.

Ask whether your lawyer is committed to maximizing what you actually keep.

Tim Rayne is a Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer with over 30 years of experience helping accident victims understand their legal rights and receive fair compensation from insurance companies. Tim has law offices in Kennett Square and West Chester Pennsylvania. Contact Tim for a Free Consultation at 610-840-0124 or trayne@macelree.com or check out his website at www.TimRayneLaw.com.