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. Insurance companies will use various tactics to fight your personal injury claim or lower the amount of the settlement. Here’s a list of the most common tactics:
1. Blame the Victim
This is a common tactic. Don’t be surprised if the insurance claims adjuster attempts to shift the blame for the accident to you. Blaming the victim is a common tactic to avoid liability for a car accident or another personal injury. If the insurance company can convince a jury that you were partially, or completely, at fault, your compensation can be reduced by a proportionate amount. If the insurance company suggests you are partially at fault for your injury, hire a personal injury lawyer immediately.
2. Denial of Claim Due To Delayed Medical Care
Prompt medical care is essential for your personal injury claim. Document any injuries or symptoms with a doctor for your claim. Failing to seek prompt medical care leaves the door open for the insurance company to argue your injuries were from a previous accident.
3. Drag Out A Case
Delaying the case is also a common tactic. The insurance company knows you need the money, so delays put pressure on you to accept a quick settlement. But they may also attempt to delay the case to create a statute of limitations 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. Talk to 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 to process your claim. This tactic is used to obtain information which may be against you to undervalue the claim. Your conversations with the insurance company are often recorded whether they tell you or not. Anything you say can be used to reduce your claim. Adjusters are working to protect the insurance company’s best interest not yours, regardless of what they tell you. It is not in your best interest to give a written or recorded statement to your insurance company without firsttalking to a personal injury lawyer.
5. Asking You For Access to Your Medical Records
Another common tactic is to request a medical records release to gather evidence that may be used to deny or lower the value of your claim. The adjuster may tell you in order to verify your injuries the insurance company needs copies of your medical records. It is very likely that the insurance company will use the release to obtain copies of your full medical history to search for prior injuries and argue that pre-existing conditions are responsible for your injury. There are laws that prevent insurance companies from denying claims based on prior injuries or pre-existing conditions. Consult a personal injury lawyer before signing any release forms.
6. Pressuring You For A Quick Settlement
Insurance companies may offer you a quick settlement before you have a chance to consult with a car accident lawyer. The first offer is almost always less than the value of your claim. When you have been injured, it’s never in your interest to settle an injury claim before medical treatment is completed. The extent of your injuries may not be known until a doctor releases you from treatment.
7. Suggesting That an Attorney Will Take All Your Money
You will likely be discouraged from contacting a personal injury attorney by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may tell you the settlement does not require a lawyer or that a lawyer will just take all the money. However, in reality, most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing up front, and in fact legal representation will likely increase the amount received from a settlement.
Don’t Negotiate With Insurance Companies Without a Lawyer
You might think that you do not need a personal injury lawyer and can get a settlement on your own. However, hiring an attorney could increase the amount of money you receive from your personal injury claim. An experienced attorney understands the damages that may be obtained 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 won a settlement compared to only 51% who do not. Futhermore, the amount received could be two to three times higher with a lawyer negotiating the settlement. If you are injured due to negligence on the part of someone else in Phoenix or the surrounding communities, and you’re your insurance company is resisting a settlement, 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}. Here is a list of Phoenix area criminal defense, family law, and DUI lawyers in the Phoenix valley and surrounding areas to get you started.
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Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.