Meet Louisville Attorney Jim Desmond

Episode 1

• Introduction of Jim Desmond 

Jim Desmond is a personal injury attorney licensed to practice in both Kentucky and Indiana.  His office is located in Louisville.  We will launch new episodes of the Kentucky Auto Accident Podcast, every 2 weeks.  This podcast is going to provide helpful information, so you have a better idea of what you should do after a car wreck.  If you’ve been in an accident, knowing whom to call is half of the battle.

• Why he went into law and specifically injury law

Jim decided to practice injury law because it’s similar to building a puzzle.  There’s a lot to know about who is responsible and where insurance coverage might exist to help pay for your injuries.  You can call Jim on his cell phone at [phone].  No one plans to be in a car wreck.  You need someone to rely on for solid advice.

Remember, the insurance adjuster is not the best source of information, because they are not there to help you.  They’re trying to find a way to minimize the amount you receive.

Jim originally began working for a larger personal injury firm. Unfortunately, there’s a high case load and the involvement of multiple paralegals is common in large firms.  Jim prefers to handle cases personally.  He wants to be able to work directly with his clients.

• You need insurance to protect yourself, as well as others

In Kentucky, the state minimum is $25,000, but nothing in the law guarantees the other driver has enough insurance to cover you.  One type of coverage is:  Under Insured Motorist – the at fault driver has insurance, but not enough to fully cover your medical bills, property damage or pain and suffering.  Another important type of coverage is:  Uninsured Motorist – the at fault driver doesn’t have insurance at all.

• No-Fault in Kentucky

Doesn’t mean you can sue the driver who caused the collision.  No-Fault means you automatically have coverage for medical bills and lost wages, up to $10,000.  This is also called “personal injury protection” (PIP).

• If you’ve been in a car wreck

Go see a doctor.  You need a formal medical record to support your claims for injuries.  It’s important that you document the injuries so the insurance company can’t try to blame the injury on something else that happened later (e.g. you fell down)

• Representing yourself vs. working with an attorney

You could try to represent yourself, but you may not get the same results.  Risks of mistakes can seriously cost you money in your settlement.  It’s about what you’re able to keep after you settle your case.  Insurance companies can attempt to recover a portion of your settlement (“subrogation liens”).  It’s the law.

You’re often better off working with an attorney who knows how to negotiate with the adjusters.  The attorney is also there to help you to consider future expenses you may incur for ongoing treatment.  Once you sign the settlement and release, there’s no going back to recover money of unforeseen expenses.

• Fees and Jim Desmond’s promise not to make more than his clients

For cases not involving a lawsuit, Jim will lower his fees to ensure his clients make more that the attorney fees. 

• This Happened This Week 

A client ended up hiring Jim, because another attorney provided an quick case value, without really knowing the facts of the case.  There are many factors that go into valuing an injury case.  How much your case is worth depends on many issues, including the insurance company, the injuries, the value of the property damage and much more.  It’s a bad idea to hire an attorney because he/she makes a promise of getting you a high settlement.  There’s no way reliable way to realistically estimate the ultimate settlement without fully preparing the facts of the case.

• Need to Hire an Attorney for Your Auto Accident Case?

You can contact Jim Desmond at www.AttorneyDesmond.com.  His cell phone is [phone].  Follow the links on his website to his Facebook page, where you’ll be able to follow him and keep up to date with new information about personal injury law in Kentucky and Indiana.

Important Disclaimers:

The information provided on this podcast is for general informational purposes only.  It should not be construed as legal advice and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.  You should seek the advice of an attorney for guidance related to your specific situation.  I am only licensed in Kentucky, so the general advice provided may not apply outside of Kentucky.

This podcast maybe freely shared, but may not be the modified or edited in any way.  This is an attorney advertisement.   Co-host Jim Ray is a non-attorney spokesperson.