ANSWER: The insurance industry has done a very effective job of blanketing the media with the idea that personal injury claims are frivolous and are somehow responsible for high insurance rates.  That attitude might make you uncomfortable with litigation and in a sense that’s good.  No one should file a frivolous claim or start a lawsuit just to “get even.” But if you’ve truly been injured, if you’ve suffered physical pain, lost wages, damage to your property, increased or unexpected medical expenses and the like, you have a right to be compensated for those losses.  You’re not looking to “make money off the insurance company,” but to make up for what you lost because of the accident.  That’s what insurance is for.

The insurance companies may not want to pay out on claims, but that doesn’t change the nature of their business.  They contracted with the person or company responsible for your injury and promised to pay for injuries like yours – and no matter how much bad press they might generate about law suits, you have the right to be compensated for your injuries, to be “made whole” again.

In fact, your case may have a positive impact on society.  Often litigation forces a manufacturer to remove a dangerous product from the market, or to make changes to increase the safety of the product.  Landowners are encouraged to put up fencing or clean up hazardous areas when faced with litigation – and news of that litigation impacts other manufacturers and landowners as well.  Our legal system was designed to allow individuals like you to recover for your losses, and to hold companies – even insurance companies – accountable.