It will come as no surprise to you that the insurance world can be inhumane. Sure, you have a great relationship with your agent, but when it comes time to file a claim, your agent isn’t even involved. Instead, you get sucked into the swirling vortex of the insurance company’s black hole where you sit on hold, talk to ice-cold adjusters, plead with number-crunchers and generally end up feeling like a faceless, soulless number. Humanity is rarely part of the natural process of things in this world.
When we represent a client, we contact insurance companies on their behalf AND we add a dose of humanity! That magical process is in the hands of our very own Sharon Killoran, whose official title is legal assistant but we sometimes just call her “empress.”
The O’Sullivan Law Firm files what’s called “demands” on behalf of our clients. In these demands, we have to explain to insurance companies what has happened to our client, the financial and emotional stress they have endured, and to make the best case possible for their claim.
Sharon is gifted at writing compelling demands that never exaggerate the truth but also add humanity to an otherwise cold process. As she says, “This isn’t just about listing a person’s injuries; it’s about describing how their lives have changed as a result of the accident.”
To achieve her goals, Sharon digs deep into a victim’s experience to understand their suffering, their prognosis and the extent of the financial impact on their lives. What has their treatment been so far? How much have they paid out of pocket and how much should they expect to pay? Can they continue working in the career they love or is their entire livelihood affected?
Additionally – and sometimes most importantly – she researches the treatments that the victim may require well into the future. For example, victims who receive joint replacements due to traumatic injuries can often expect to need new replacements down the road. Their claim should include this cost, adjusted for inflation. Sharon’s on top of it.
As she’s writing these demands, Sharon gets to know our clients well. So these documents share stories about who they are as people and how their lives have been affected. Her goal is to force the insurance companies (and their lawyers) to see beyond the lists of injuries into the person’s altered life, truly sharing the impact of the accident.
In the insurance world, the average person can be made to feel like a nuisance. Sharon is their advocate with heart – and a creative pen!
If you have any questions about this article, don’t hesitate to call me: 303-388-5304.
