“I’m Not the Suing Type” — And Why That Might Cost You
A lot of people call our office and lead with some version of the same line: “I want you to know, I’m not the suing type.” It comes up so often that David Greene recently sat down with Studio 10 to address it directly, because the assumption behind that phrase is one of the most misunderstood things about personal injury law.
Calling an attorney after an accident doesn’t mean you’re filing a lawsuit. More often than not, it means someone who knows the rules is standing next to you while you deal with people whose job is to minimize what you’re paid.
The Insurance Company Has Its Own Lawyer. You Should Too.
When you’re injured and dealing with an insurance adjuster, you’re not in a conversation between equals. The adjuster knows what questions to ask, which statements can be used against you, and how to move a claim in a direction that benefits the insurer. You may not know what you’re required to provide and what you aren’t. Agreeing to give a recorded statement, for example, can seriously damage a claim before most people even realize what happened.
Having an attorney involved levels that playing field. It doesn’t escalate the situation, it just makes sure you’re not at a structural disadvantage from the start.
The Numbers
There’s a reason research from the insurance industry itself has consistently shown that injury claimants represented by attorneys receive significantly more money than those who go unrepresented, even after attorney fees are paid. One commonly cited figure puts that advantage at roughly three and a half times more, on average, than what an unrepresented claimant recovers.
That gap exists because experienced attorneys know how to document injuries properly, identify all available coverage, negotiate medical bills down, and push back against lowball offers. The money a lawyer costs is almost always less than the money left on the table without one.
You’re Not Going After the Other Driver
This is the part that stops a lot of people. They don’t want to hurt someone they may know, or feel guilty about pursuing a claim against a stranger who made an honest mistake. That concern is understandable, but it misses how these cases actually work.
When Greene & Phillips is involved, the claim is against an insurance company, not the individual. If there’s no insurance coverage in a case, it’s not one Greene & Phillips takes. Every case the firm handles has insurance on the other side. That’s the structure of how injury claims work in Alabama: the at-fault driver’s liability coverage, your own uninsured motorist coverage, or other applicable policies are what pay out. The person who hit you isn’t writing a check out of their savings account.
Handling It Yourself Can Make Things Worse
Searching online for how to handle your own injury claim sounds like a reasonable way to save money. In practice, it’s closer to looking up how to treat your own broken arm. The information may exist, but the context for applying it correctly usually doesn’t come with it.
Insurance companies know that unrepresented claimants often settle quickly and for less. The rules around evidence, documentation, deadlines, and what information you’re actually obligated to share aren’t intuitive. Missteps early in the process can limit what’s recoverable later, sometimes permanently.
What Calling Actually Means
A consultation with Greene & Phillips doesn’t obligate you to file anything. It means you sit down with someone who can tell you what your claim is actually worth, what the insurance company is likely to do, and what your options are. You can decide from there.
Greene & Phillips is located at 51 North Florida Street in Midtown Mobile, across from Old Dutch Ice Cream Shop. You can also reach the firm on our contact page or call, text, or come by either office — Mobile or Birmingham — anytime. No appointment needed.
