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When a serious accident changes someone’s life, there are often two battles happening at the same time.
The first is physical.
There may be surgery, rehabilitation, pain, limited mobility and months of uncertainty about recovery.
The second can be financial.
Medical bills arrive while income may be reduced or disappear entirely. At the same time, an injured person can find themselves dealing with an insurance company whose evaluation of the claim may be very different from their own experience of what happened.
For people facing serious injuries or disabilities after an accident, that combination can become overwhelming.
Arizona firm Guidant Law has been recognized by Law.com LawyerPages for its advocacy on behalf of people dealing with serious injuries and the consequences those injuries can have on their lives.
Guidant Law’s personal injury practice is somewhat different from a traditional injury practice because its work also includes insurance disputes.
That combination can be particularly valuable in complicated cases.
After an accident, the legal question is often not limited to who caused the injury. There may also be disputes involving available insurance coverage, the value of the claim, delays in payment or an insurer’s interpretation of its obligations.
Attorney Sam Saks leads Guidant Law’s personal injury and insurance dispute practice.
Saks has approximately two decades of experience involving personal injury litigation, insurance matters, trials, mediation and appeals. His background includes work at both the trial and appellate level.
For an injured person, that experience matters because the insurance issues surrounding a serious accident can sometimes become nearly as complicated as the underlying injury.
Readers can learn more about Guidant Law’s Arizona personal injury and insurance dispute practice.
One of the most difficult parts of a serious injury is uncertainty.
A person may not know three months after an accident whether they will eventually make a full recovery.
Doctors may recommend additional treatment. Physical therapy may continue. Neurological symptoms may improve slowly. An orthopedic injury may make returning to a physically demanding occupation impossible for months.
That uncertainty creates an important issue in personal injury cases.
Resolving a claim too early can mean making decisions before the complete effect of an injury is understood.
A person who accepts an insurance settlement generally cannot return months later because their injury turned out to be more serious than expected.
This is one reason experienced injury attorneys look at the entire picture.
They consider current medical costs, future care, income loss, reduced earning capacity and how an injury has affected everyday life.
For someone who has developed a disability or significant physical limitation, these questions can become central to the case.
Insurance companies handle thousands of claims.
Most injured people handle only one.
That creates an obvious imbalance.
The insurer understands its policies, claims procedures, documentation requirements and litigation strategy. The injured person is often learning all of these things while also trying to recover.
Guidant Law represents injured individuals in matters involving motor vehicle accidents, truck crashes, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian and bicycle injuries, wrongful death and other serious injury cases. The firm also handles disputes involving denied or delayed insurance claims.
Saks’ background includes extensive insurance litigation and appellate work, giving the practice experience with cases that go beyond straightforward settlement negotiations.
That can be important when an insurer disputes coverage or when a legal issue must be resolved before an injured person can receive the benefits available under a policy.
There is another problem that frequently affects people dealing with serious injuries.
They feel like a number.
The medical system has a claim number. The insurance company has a claim number. The hospital has an account number.
The person at the center of everything can begin to feel lost inside the process.
Guidant Law says it intentionally limits its personal injury caseload and provides clients with direct access to their attorney.
For someone experiencing a serious injury, communication matters.
Questions do not always arrive during business hours, and legal decisions can be difficult to make when someone does not understand what is happening with their case.
A client should understand what the lawyer is doing, what happens next and why important decisions are being made.
No attorney can reverse a serious accident.
What a good attorney can do is help an injured person understand their rights, protect evidence, deal with insurance companies and pursue accountability from the people or businesses responsible for the harm.
For people whose injuries have resulted in disability, reduced mobility, cognitive problems or an inability to return to work, that representation can play an important role in rebuilding financial stability.
Guidant Law’s recognition by Law.com LawyerPages reflects the importance of attorneys who are prepared to advocate for people when an accident has changed much more than their immediate health.
Arizona residents dealing with a serious injury or an insurance dispute can learn more about Guidant Law’s personal injury attorneys and the firm’s approach to representing injured clients.
This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice.