What is an Attorney Letter of Representation?
An attorney letter of representation is a document sent from a lawyer (“lawyer”) to an adverse party (“party”) advising that party that the lawyer represents a specific person, persons, or business.
A letter of representation is an initial correspondence to begin seeking damages or the resolution of a matter.
An adverse party is usually the insurance company for the person at fault in the accident. If you are looking for an insurance company or producer in Maryland, you can use this Search Link to find all licenses to conduct business in Maryland.
If you have been injured, you should speak with Baltimore personal injury lawyer Randolph Rice about sending a letter of representation. If you don’t act quickly, you may waive your right to seek damages for your injury or damages.
What Defines a Party in a Legal Matter?
A party can be an individual or a company. For example, if an individual was injured while visiting a friend’s home, the lawyer may send a letter of representation to the homeowner advising of representation.
If the injury occurred in a car accident, the lawyer may send the letter of representation to the insurance company, the party, for the at-fault driver.
When a client hires an attorney to represent them in a personal injury matter, the attorney will typically send a letter of representation or a representation letter to the insurance company for the negligent party.
Why Send an Attorney Representation Letter?
A letter of representation or attorney representation letter is used to notify the insurance company in writing that the lawyer is representing that individual in a pending claim.
That claim may be for injuries sustained in an accident where the insurance company’s insured was at fault or negligent.
The letter is to begin to negotiation process or in an attempt to resolve the dispute in lieu of filing a lawsuit. the letter’s main goal is to put the other person or company on notice that the injured person or business has a lawyer and intends to seek damages.
Example Attorney Representation Letter for Personal Injury Claim
This is an example of a basic letter that we send to insurance companies advising that we represent a client in an accident or personal injury claim:
Law Firm Name, address, and contact information.
[Date]Approved Maryland Insurance Company
Street Address
City, State ZIPRe: Claim for Injuries – Representation Letter
Date of Accident: August 15, 2011
My Client: Joe Smith
Accident Location: Street Address or location of injury/accident
Your Insured: Jane Smith
Your Insured’s Policy #: 123456789
Claim Number: 123456789Dear Sir/Madam:
Please be advised that I represent the above-captioned client in his/her claim for injuries and damages resulting from the above-captioned accident.
Our investigation of the incident referred to above and the damages resulting therefrom, indicate that the sole proximate cause of same was your insured’s negligence.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Please don’t hesitate in contacting me at my office if you have any questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
{Signature of Attorney}
Attorney’s Name
cc: Client File
What is Contained Within a Template Representation Letter?
A lawyer representation letter should include:
- Date;
- Address to whom the letter is sent;
- The subject of the letter;
- Content or body of the letter. Briefly explaining why the lawyer is writing the letter and the general claim and damages.
- Signature
The letter should be sent certified with a return receipt. This will ensure that the letter is received and the receiver cannot claim they never received the letter.
What should you do if you have been hurt in an accident?
The first thing we tell clients is don’t talk to the insurance company about the person that struck them. That insurance company is going to do everything it can to make you admit or at least try to make you admit that you were at fault for the accident.
If they can get you on a recorded statement to admit that you were at fault, then they can claim you contributed to the accident and you may not able to recover any of your lost wages or medical bills from the accident.
Contact Our Attorneys for Your Car Accident Letter of Representation
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, contact the Maryland personal injury lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291, or email Mr. Rice for immediate legal help.
You can schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and the possible claim you may have against the driver that struck you and how they can send a representation letter to the adverse insurance company.
Attorney Randolph Rice is a Baltimore personal injury lawyer and car accident attorney and with years of experience fighting for compensation for his clients. He is ranked by Super Lawyers, an Avvo 10 out 10, and Lead Counsel Rated.