Five Reasons You Shouldn’t Trust Your Insurance Company
After an accident that injures you and forces you to deal with multiple expenses, your first thought may be about seeking compensation. Working with an insurance company might sound like the best option in this scenario. Unfortunately, things aren’t so easy. Adjusters may seem helpful but aren’t actually interested in your car accident recovery.
The last thing you want after experiencing the stress and pain that comes with severe injuries is to be stuck dealing with businesses that don’t have your best interests in mind. Knowing why you shouldn’t place your trust in an insurance company can prevent mistakes that could negatively impact your claim’s value.
Profits Are Their Priority
An insurance company’s objective isn’t compensating you fairly, but dismissing your claim. If that’s not possible, these companies will focus all their efforts on minimizing its value. Their priority is on protecting their profits, and providing you with the money you deserve means they’re experiencing a loss.
Adjusters are trained to offer you the smallest amount of settlement possible that still looks good on paper, so you’ll accept it without hesitating only to later realize that you’ve been lowballed. When that happens, it will be too late. That’s why you should never accept an offer without consulting with an attorney who can keep into consideration your claim’s true value.
Any Statements Can Be Used Against You
The insurance company will try to contact you in the days following an accident to ask questions about your injuries and the circumstances that led to the accident taking place. While they may sound friendly, once you receive this call it means the wheels are already set in motion. They’re looking for a recorded statement that can be used against you.
Talking to adjusters while you’re still confused and uncertain about the best way to proceed is dangerous for your claim, especially if you’re traumatized by the experience. To avoid problems with your compensation, provide nothing more than simple answers and basic information. Don’t talk about the way you feel and avoid accurately describing the state of your injuries.
Your Insurer May Stall Your Claim
If the above strategies fail because your claim is backed up by strong evidence, the insurance company will drag out the process and waste as much time as possible. They know an accident victim would prefer to avoid lengthy legal procedures, so adjusters may push you to accept a lowball settlement offer because you can’t afford to waste time.
Stalling can also cause evidence to lose credibility, especially if too much time passes and witnesses become unable to give a detailed description of the events. Connecting with a personal injury lawyer that can build a strong claim and negotiate aggressively is your best option when you want to prevent this scenario.
Insurers Don’t Want to Face Lawyers
The last thing insurance companies want is to deal with an attorney. Because of this, adjusters may start explaining how it’s a waste of time and money when you mention you’re seeking legal representation. If you let them do this, you may receive an insufficient amount of compensation.
Injury lawyers have experience on their side and are already aware of the strategies used to deny your claim. They also know how to present a convincing version of the facts that can’t be ignored, and are ready to take your case to trial if the insurance company still fails to take it seriously.
Insurance Companies Often Omit Facts
Your insurance company often won’t tell you everything they know, as it might increase your chances of filing a successful claim. They won’t hesitate to omit facts that could give you a legal advantage, which is why you should never form your opinions around an adjuster’s words.
Insurance adjusters typically do everything in their power to save the company money, not you. In many cases, that means omitting important information that could impact the details of your claim. Talk to your lawyer if you suspect you’re not getting the full story.
Let a Lawyer Negotiate for You
Making a full recovery and gaining back your financial stability is tough if you don’t deal with your case properly. With an attorney from Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP by your side, you won’t have to worry about the insurance company’s bad intentions. We’ll file a claim on your behalf so you can concentrate on getting your life back on track.
Our attorneys have a considerable amount of experience with aggressive negotiations, and we’ll work hard to make sure you’re not a victim twice. To get started with a no-cost consultation, you can give us a call at 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) or fill out the online contact form.