When someone comes to us after a crash, one of the first things I want them to understand is this: there are two kinds of personal injury lawyers. The first kind seldom sues, rarely tries cases, and often encourages quick settlements. The second kind starts trial preparation from day one. That second kind is who Hasty Pope is.
Insurance companies know which lawyers are going to fight and which ones won’t. They adjust their behavior accordingly. If your attorney never tries cases, you will likely get lower offers. But if insurers see you have trial-ready counsel, it changes everything.
Here’s how that plays out and why it matters to you.
Why It Matters: A Real Example
One of our clients was dealing with an insurance company that kept dragging its feet. Their adjuster offered a “fast, easy settlement” that barely touched half the medical bills. But the client didn’t trust that. From the moment we took the case, we treated it as if we were going to trial.
We ordered depositions, gathered expert reports, and built a strong case file. When we showed the insurer we were ready to go to court, they came back with an offer several times higher because they knew we wouldn’t back down. The case ended in a settlement that actually covered most of our client’s losses.
If that client had hired someone who never went to trial, they might have accepted the low offer and walked away under-compensated.
How Insurance Companies View Lawyers
Here’s something many people don’t realize: insurance companies evaluate your lawyer just as much as they evaluate your injuries. They look at past verdicts. They look at whether a firm has tried cases before. They know which attorneys will fold and which ones will stand up.
If they believe your attorney will never file suit, they will make a lowball offer, delay, and hope you settle. But if they see you are ready for trial, they often make their best offer early — because they want to avoid the risk of a jury.
What You Should Demand from Your Lawyer
When you’re interviewing personal injury attorneys, ask:
- How many cases have you tried?
- What verdicts have you won?
- Do you prepare each case for trial, even if settlement is the goal?
- How do you plan to let the insurance company know you’re serious?
Any lawyer who says “we’ll decide later whether to try it” is likely leaving money on the table. At Hasty Pope, preparing for trial is not an option — it's part of how we get justice.
Final Word
You deserve a lawyer who treats your case like it might go all the way. Insurance companies make more fair offers when they know you are ready for trial. That readiness can be the difference between a settlement that merely looks good and a settlement that truly covers your future.
At Hasty Pope, we don’t just represent injury victims. We prepare to fight. And we fight hard — for the people of Georgia who need someone who will stand and see it through.