Today’s legal tip is part of a continuing series: Ten Ways to Hurt or Kill Your Pennsylvania Personal Injury Case.

Today’s way is by dealing directly with the insurance company. You need to understand that when you are injured in an accident and the other insurance company contacts you there is a conflict of interest. That insurance company is a business. The way that they make money is by taking in premiums as their income and paying out claims as their expenses. They make money by paying out as little as possible in claims while taking in as much as possible by way of premiums. That creates a conflict of interest. Their interest is different than yours.

You have been injured in an accident. You want fair treatment. You want to be sure that your legal rights are protected. The insurance company, on the other hand, is looking at your case as just another claim. Their goal is to pay out as little in claims as possible. They may ask you to sign a release. They may ask you for a statement. There are all sorts of mistakes that you can make if you deal directly with the insurance company rather than hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to communicate with the insurance company on your behalf. That’s our legal tip for today.