Public adjusters and attorneys have similar legal authorization regarding insurance claims. However, the difference is in their role in the process. You can consider public adjusters the first line of defense. They are there from the beginning, documenting the claim, putting the estimate together, presenting the claim, following up, and generally being with you through the entire process.
If a public adjuster is unable to get an insurance company to pay the claim, then there are times to use an attorney, as many public adjusters will do. Yet, the main practical difference between a public adjuster and an attorney is the length of time it takes to settle a claim – if it gets to litigations, with attorneys the process can last between a year and two; with a public adjuster, the process to settle a claim takes between 1 to 4 months.