What you need to know
After an accident, you likely are confronted with many questions and concerns regarding your insurance coverage, medical costs and your rights as an accident victim. The knowledge and experience of the Law Office of Robert B. Kopelson can greatly increase the likelihood that you receive fair compensation for your injuries and damages in your personal injury claim. My firm serves injury victims in claims including motor vehicle accidents, uninsured and underinsured motorists and slip and fall accidents.The insurance company is not your friend. Insurance companies make a profit by minimizing payouts both to claimants and policyholders. Adjustors are rewarded for settling cases cheaply. Do not be naïve, even if the adjustor seems nice. They hope that by being friendly, you do not contact an attorney and learn your rights. You should be prepared to pursue a lawsuit for a personal injury, incurred in San Jose or elsewhere, with a seasoned attorney to ensure the best award. Adjusters may tempt you with a quick settlement offer, to get you to release your rights before you know them, and before you know how bad your injuries really are or what your bills may total. Sometimes they will include a promise to pay up to a certain amount of bills within a certain time frame. That is not a good solution. They can dispute them later, and then you have already settled your claim, and all you can do is sue for the bill they refuse to pay. Once you sign a release, your claim is done. Don’t accept any offer until you call me and learn your rights.
The insurance company does not pay your bills as you go. Generally, insurance companies do not settle claims in stages; rather, they settle your entire injury claim at one time. Settling too soon or before your health condition is clear is very risky. To be prepared in case of an accident, and to avoid unnecessary strain on your health and finances, you must be familiar with your insurance policy and ensure that you have adequate coverage. After an accident has occurred, you cannot retroactively add the additional coverage that you may need to cover your damages. If you have questions about what coverages you should have, please let me know.