In many instances, personal injury victims make personal injury claims to insurance companies to pay for medical treatment, damages and even lost wages. While monetary compensation won’t take the pain and trauma of the injury away, it will help to ease the financial burden. Unfortunately, insurance companies aren’t always obliging, especially when the costs of the claim are high. They will do all they can to either avoid paying compensation completely or pay as little as they can.
The following are some tactics that insurance companies often use to try and lowball a personal injury settlement.
They use skilled insurance adjusters
Insurance adjusters may seem friendly but don’t be mistaken. An insurance adjuster’s job is to help their company avoid losses. They are skilled negotiators. They are trained to ensure settlements come in as low as possible.
You should therefore be careful when dealing with an insurance adjuster. In fact, it is best to avoid dealing with them completely. You should hire a personal injury attorney to handle all communication on your behalf.
They will use your words against you
Once you begin the claims process, you will be under investigation by the insurance company. They will be out to find evidence that they can use to reject your claim or lower your settlement. It is therefore important to watch what you say to other people and especially what you post on social media. You should also be careful about your actions after the injury and ensure you follow your doctor’s directions.
Insurance companies can take anything you say and turn it against you.
They will argue that your injuries were not caused by the accident
Injuries such as broken bones and major cuts have obvious causes. However, internal soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains can be harder to link to specific accidents. Insurance companies may claim that the injuries were pre-existing and not caused by the accident.
It is important to get medical attention as soon after the accident as possible. A medical report will help to prove the injuries occurred as a result of the accident. The report will also show the extent of your injuries.
They will argue that your injuries are not as serious as you claim
Personal injury claims involving serious injuries often involve large sums of money. It isn’t uncommon for insurance companies to claim that victims are exaggerating their injuries in order to receive a large payout.
It is important to have your medical records on hand to show the extent of your injuries. A personal injury attorney can go a step further to hire a medical expert to show how the injuries have affected you and show how the accident caused the injuries.
They may base their settlement on incomplete information
Insurance companies won’t take the time to investigate your claim thoroughly. They may only use the police report and other records to come up with their settlement offer.
Hiring an experienced attorney will ensure all factors are considered in determining your settlement. They will investigate your case thoroughly and consider the impact of the injuries on your present and future life. They will fight to get you a fair settlement.
If you haven’t hired an experienced personal injury attorney for your claim, do so now to avoid a low ball settlement offer.