should i file p.i. claims to my car insurance w/o lawyer?

[knickel]

state:illinois

i was rear ended 6mo ago. i sustained very bad whiplash that left me unable to work for several months as well as put a very big hold on my professional dance training/career. my auto insurance company has decided it is an uninsured motorist case.

i would like to file my claim with my insurance without having to hire a lawyer for the whole deal if the process of filing is not too difficult and i would save a significant amount of money.

Here are some concerns i have about trying to figure out all of this on my own:

1.what is deemed a medical expense? does it have to be deemed medically necessary by a dr. or a strongly recomended treatment for the diagnosed condition based on medical literature? (ie. prescribed physical therapy and drugs vs. massages,gym membership for strength training)

2.what kind of things can i qualify as pain and suffering?
-would this count: monetary amount of dance classes needed to get me back into the kind of athletic condition i was in before?

i feel like if i could find info on how to file or have an hour with one attourney i could get all my questions answered. is there some way i can make this kind of arrangement? and what kind of fee would i expect to pay? or is this all wishful thinking of a starving artist?

answers/ referrals to info sources for any of the above questions are greatly appreciated.

KN

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

U.M. claims can be, and for the most part are, very complex for the average person. Unless you know and understand your States' insurance laws, rules of court procedure, procedural statutes, pleading formats, legal research and writing, etc., etc., then I sincerely wouldn't recommend doing this yourself.

There are many books on the subject, just like there are in the field of art; both of which can be very complicated if you're not familiar with one or the other. It's a little like having you tell me, in a few paragraphs, how to paint portraits - including styles of texture, shading, brush strokes, explanations of various techniques, and for good measure, anatomy training, etc.; a very nearly impossible task to do on a bulletin board.

What's more, there are many more questions and answers you'd need to know beyond what you have already asked; e.g., negotiations, limits of demands, and the list goes on and on. Please, if you have such a claim, see an attorney. Most personal injury attorneys will take your case on a contingency basis and, best of all, attorney's fees are always negotiable.

Best of luck to you.

IAAL

[Edited by I AM ALWAYS LIABLE on 02-22-2001 at 06:53 PM]