When someone gets injured in an accident due to another’s fault, it doesn’t take long for the financial pressure to start building. Between ER visits, specialist consultations, physical therapy, missed work, and the unending calls by insurance adjusters, most accident victims wonder whether they should hire a lawyer.
The real underlying question is: Will an attorney help you get a bigger settlement, or would you be giving away a percentage of the money that was rightfully yours?
Does Hiring a Lawyer Increase Settlements in Wisconsin?
It’s a fair question, but for-profit insurance companies aren’t in the business of making a fair settlement. Their goal is to minimize claim payouts to increase their profits.
In this situation, the stronger your evidence to prove your claim, the more they might pay to resolve it. This dynamic changes fundamentally the moment you retain an experienced personal injury attorney with a no-holds-barred approach to take cases to trial when necessary. On the other hand, if a claim is treated as a routine, unrepresented negotiation, it will be valued accordingly, with minimal urgency and minimal payout.
Every claim processed by an adjuster is evaluated with one question in mind: How likely is this to become a legal problem? If the answer is “not very,” their strategy is simple:
- Offer an early settlement before the full extent of injuries is known
- Rely on the injured party’s unfamiliarity with claim valuation
- Disregard or heavily discount intangible damages (pain, loss of function, diminished quality of life)
- Get a release signed and close the file quickly
Unless you have extensive legal experience yourself, the only thing that can force them to reevaluate the risk is the presence of a top car accident law firm. If you have a dedicated car accident lawyer on your side with a proven track record and the skills and resources to go to trial, insurance companies may feel pressured to give you the compensation you deserve.
There’s statistical evidence to support the connection between hiring the right lawyer and settlement increase. A survey published by the Insurance Research Council revealed that, on average, injured victims who hire an attorney recover 3.5 times more than people who represent themselves. Over 85% of all insurance payouts in bodily injury claims go to individuals who have legal representation.
Unrepresented claimants are generally offered amounts far below their medical bills, because insurers are certain they wouldn’t push back or understand how to dispute the valuation. Intangible damages, including loss of normal life, chronic pain, and psychological trauma, are entirely ignored in many self-managed claims.
Settlement Benefits with a Lawyer in Wisconsin
In personal injury cases, the burden of proof lies on the victim. You must prove that:
- The other person(s) or organization was negligent
- Their negligence directly caused your accident
- You suffered physical injury and other damages (financial loss, emotional harm) as a result.
Insurance companies don’t pay claims unless they’re presented with credible, well-documented evidence, including (but not limited to):
- Official police accident report
- Photographic evidence of vehicle damage and road conditions
- Surveillance video or dashcam footage capturing the collision
- Third-party witnesses’ recorded statements
- Documentation of your injury treatment (including emergency medical records)
- Wage verification statements and employment records
- Certified auto repair estimates
- Mobile phone usage logs (to support or refute distraction claims)
- Audio recordings or transcripts of 911 emergency calls
- Expert testimonies from accident reconstruction specialists
Without this evidence, they may either deny the claim or offer a deeply undervalued settlement.
Although the local law enforcement might produce a crash report, it’s up to you (or your lawyer) to collect the rest. Keep in mind that much of the evidence listed above is lost or destroyed within 24 to 72 hours if not preserved.
This is understandably a lot to handle on your own when you’re still recovering from your injuries. An attorney can send spoliation letters to preserve surveillance footage immediately after your accident, obtain the 911 logs, and conduct early interviews with eyewitnesses that shape how fault is argued.
Boosting settlement with legal help begins the moment you stop trusting the insurance adjuster for a fair settlement and get high-powered legal representation.
An Attorney Coordinates with Medical Providers to Establish Causation
Insurers don’t pay for what isn’t documented, and unrepresented claimants generally don’t have the skill to demonstrate their injury symptoms and pain and suffering in a manner that meets the stringent legal standards. This is the most important part to obtain a larger settlement for your medical treatment bills, lost wages, and emotional trauma.
A personal injury lawyer will work with your medical providers and, when necessary, hire outside medical experts to establish that the liable party’s negligent actions caused your injuries. Experienced lawyers also know how to frame your pre-existing health conditions so they don’t automatically get your claim rejected.
An Attorney Builds Your Claim Based on Complete Damages
Insurance companies might quickly agree to pay for your out-of-pocket expenses. What they’re far less eager to pay for are non-economic damages, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
To achieve a higher settlement, both economic and non-economic damages are equally important. Economic damages (treatment costs and lost income) have fixed, tangible dollar amounts. But the value of non-economic damages depends on how deeply the injury affects your day-to-day life.
Correct assessment of the full value of all these damages requires legal insight, technical knowledge, and a deep understanding of how insurers and juries evaluate claims.
Get Our Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers on Your Side
In personal injury cases, it’s usually not what your claim is actually worth, but what the insurance company fears a jury might award to the injured victim. At Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs, we will fight tooth and nail to recover the highest possible settlement for you.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t pay anything until we win. To schedule your free consultation, call us at 855-954-1186 or contact us online.
