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. Unfortunately for accident victims, insurance companies fight personal injury claims to avoid paying money. 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. 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. Deny Claims Due To Delayed Medical Care
Prompt medical care is essential for your personal injury claim. 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. 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 for 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. a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident to avoid a problem.
4. Requiring Written Statements
A claims adjuster may ask you to provide a written or recorded statement for the insurance company to process your claim. This common tactic is used to obtain information to use 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 against you to hurt your claim. Be careful what you say to insurance adjusters. Claim adjusters are working to protect the insurance company’s best interest not yours, regardless of what they tell you. It is never in your interest to provide a written or recorded statement to an adjuster without firsttalking 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 may be used to deny or lower the value of your personal injury claim. The adjuster might tell you in order to verify your injuries the insurance company needs copies of your medical records. It is highly likely that the insurance company will obtain copies of your entire medical history to search for prior injuries and argue that they are responsible for your injury. There are laws that prevent insurance companies from denying claims based on prior injuries or 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 attorney. The first offer is almost always less than the value of your claim. If you have been injured, it’s not 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 an accident injury lawyer by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may suggest the settlement does not require an attorney or that an attorney will take all your money. However, the truth is, most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing, and in fact legal representation will probably increase the amount received from a settlement.
The Benefit of Having a Personal Injury Lawyer
You may believe you can negotiate with your insurance company without a lawyer. However, hiring an lawyer could increase the amount of the settlement you receive for your injury claim. An attorney understands the 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 lawyer won a settlement compared to only 51% who did not. Futhermore, the amount received could be two to three times more with an attorney 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}. 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.