Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers Pull Back The Curtain on Insurance Settlements
Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers Pull Back The Curtain on Insurance Settlements
Pulling Back The Curtain on Tactics Used By Insurance Companies to Reduce Settlements
You’ve heard the stories, a friend has been injured in an auto accident, a slip and fall injury, a workplace injury, all your friend wants is fair treatment from their insurance company. Sadly, insurance companies are not there to help, frequently fighting claims to avoid payouts. It’s critical to be prepared before discussing your case with an insurance adjuster In a recent article Phoenix personal injury lawyers pulled back the curtain on the tactics used by insurance companies to reduce the payout to settle claims. Before you discuss your claim with any insurance company, claims adjuster, or agent, you should be aware of the tricks insurance companies use to fight your personal injury claim and lower their payout. Some of the most common tactics are:
1. Shifting the Blame
It’s not uncommon for an insurance adjuster to attempt to shift the blame to you for the accident. Insurance companies will try to avoid liability for the accident by suggesting you are at fault If the case goes to trial, and the insurance company can convince a jury that you were even partially at fault, they can reduce the amount of the claim paid to you. If your insurance company tries to claim you are at fault, hire a personal injury lawyer to represent your case.
2. Deny Claims Due To Delayed Medical Care
It is essential that you seek medical care promptly afer an accident. Discuss any symptoms with a doctor to ensure that injuries are documented for the claim. If you do not seek prompt medical care, the insurance company may argue the accident did not cause your injury.
3. Delaying The Case
Delaying the case is also a common tactic. Dragging out the case delays the settlement, so delays put pressure on you to accept a quick settlement. The insurance company may also delay the case to create a statute of limitation defense. For most cases, the statute of limitations on personal injury is 2 years. There are exceptions to the statute of limitations that may increase or decrease the time to file a claim. a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident to avoid a problem.
4. Requiring Recorded or Written Statements
It’s not uncommon for an adjuster to ask for a written or recorded statement for the insurance company to process your claim. This common tactic is used to obtain information which may be against you to deny the claim. Your conversations with the insurance company are often recorded whether they tell you or not. Anything you say may be used against you to reduce your claim. Be careful what you say to insurance adjusters. Adjusters work to protect the insurance company’s interest not yours, regardless of what they tell you. It is never in your best interest to give a written or recorded statement to an adjuster without talking to a personal injury lawyer.
5. Requiring Access to Medical Records
Another common tactic is to request a medical records release to gather evidence that can be used to lower the value of your personal injury claim. The adjuster might tell you in order to verify your injuries the insurance company must have copies of your medical records. It is highly likely that the insurance company will use the release to obtain copies of your entire medical history to search for prior injuries and argue that pre-existing conditions are responsible for your injury. It is unlawful for insurance companies to deny claims based on prior injuries or pre-existing conditions. Consult a personal injury attorney before signing any record release forms.
6. Pressuring You For A Quick Settlement
Insurance companies may offer you a quick settlement before you consult with a car accident lawyer. But the offer amount is probably far lower than the value of your claim. If you have been injured in an accident, it’s never in your interest to settle a personal claim before medical treatment is completed. The extent of your injuries may not be known until all medical treatment has been completed.
7. Suggesting That an Attorney Will Take All Your Money
You will likely be discouraged from consulting an accident injury attorney by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may tell you the settlement does not require an attorney or that a lawyer will just take all your money. However, in reality, most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing, and having legal representation will likely increase the amount received from a settlement.
Don’t Negotiate With Insurance Companies Without a Lawyer
You may believe you can negotiate with your insurance company without a lawyer. However, hiring an attorney could increase the amount of the settlement you receive for your injury claim. An attorney understands the monetary damages available for an injury claim and they know how to maximize the value of the settlement. An estimated 91% of people who hire a personal injury attorney receive a settlement compared to just 51% who did not. In addition, the amount received could be 2-3 times higher with a lawyer negotiating the settlement. If you’re injured due to negligence on the part of someone else in Phoenix or the surrounding communities, and you’re dealing with an insurance company, don’t go it alone. Call a car accident or personal injury lawyer.
What About Criminal, DUI, or Family Law Cases?
What’s the difference between personal injury lawyers and criminal defense or family law lawyers? Personal injury lawyers fight to get you paid, criminal defense and family law fight for your feedom. Because of that fact it is quite common for personal injury lawyers to work on a contingency basis, taking their compensation out of the settlement and not your pocket. Unfortunately, for almost all other practice areas you’ll most likely have to dig deep into your pockets. Since freedom is on the line and you most likely will pay dearly for it, you should make sure you find an attorney or lawyer experienced in the predicament you find yourself|If you are paying for it, you’ll want to find a best criminal defense lawyer, DUI lawyer, or family law or divorce lawyer that best suits your circumstances}. Below is a shortlist of area criminal defense, DUI, and family law attorneys in the Phoenix area to start your search.
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.