TYLER – Two local attorneys say they have received significant responses to their offer of a free book they wrote and published last year called “Tips for Handling Your Own Minor Injury Claim.”
“We’ve given out quite a few,” Bruce Roberts, a personal injury lawyer who wrote the book alongside his brother Randy, told the Southeast Texas Record. “It’s something we do to help our clients.”
Roberts said the two decided to write the book because they often have potential clients come in for advice – only to discover their cases aren’t big enough to require an attorney. Previously, it was available for purchase on Amazon.
Roberts said the two have regularly advised clients who thought they had a case but didn’t need a lawyer, and thought writing the book would be a public service to those seeking help or who are unable to afford an attorney. He noted that it’s always advisable to seek an attorney’s advice, even if a person finds out that a case doesn’t need legal representation.
“There are a lot of people who need advice on personal injury or ever property law,” he said. “But they don’t necessarily need an attorney. There are times when it is more advantageous to handle it on their own. There are times when they actually come out ahead with just a little basic advice.”
The book provides the top mistakes that clients make and explains how to file a claim with insurance companies for an injury or property damage in a step-by-step approach, informing complainants about the process they need to go through and what information is important to generate a successful claim.
“It basically tells you what to do, how to contact an adjustor and what kind of information you’ll have to have ready,” he said. “It teaches them to handle it on their own.”
Roberts said those with a case are sometimes fearful of the process just because they aren’t familiar with it. He said the book fills in those blanks. One of the most important aspects to filing a successful claim, whether it’s from an injury or a fender bender, is thorough documentation, he said.
“Make sure you document everything from the very beginning,” he said. “You’d be amazed at how many people come in a month after a wreck and say they were injured by it. At that point, it can’t be proven that the accident was the cause of the injury.”
Roberts also advises putting your documentation in the most flattering light, but not to lie about anything because it will jeopardize the entire case.
“Give them the facts that help, but tell the truth,” he said. “If you are honest up front, it really helps.”
To obtain a free copy of the book, email your request with your mailing address to Roberts and Roberts Law Firm at web_contact@robertslawfirm.com.