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
We've all been there, an auto accident, slip & fall, or another personal injury, all you want is fair compensation from your insurance company. Unfortunately for accident victims, insurance companies fight personal injury claims to avoid paying money. If you are not prepared before contacting your insurance company or meeting with an adjuster, you may very well walk away empty-handed. In this article, Phoenix personal injury lawyers provide tips and reveal common tactics used by insurance companies to minimize settlement 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 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
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. 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
Dragging out the case benefits the insurance company. Dragging out the case delays the settlement, 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. For some situations, the statute of limitations may increase or decrease the time to file a claim. It’s best to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident to avoid a problem.
4. Requiring Recorded or 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 usually recorded. Anything you say can be used against you to deny your claim. Claim adjusters are working to protect the insurance company’s interest not yours, regardless of what they tell you. It is not in your interest to give a written or recorded statement to an adjuster without firsttalking to a personal injury attorney.
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 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 probable 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. 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 release forms.
6. Pressure To Accept A Quick Settlement
The insurance company may offer you a quick settlement before you consult with a car accident lawyer. But the offer amount is probably much lower than the value of your claim. If you have been injured, it’s not in your best interest to settle a personal claim before medical treatment is completed. The extent of your injuries may not be fully known until a doctor releases you from treatment.
7. Suggesting That an Attorney Will Take All Your Money
You will almost always be discouraged from contacting an accident injury lawyer 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 attorneys accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing up front, and in fact legal representation will probably increase the amount received from a settlement.
The Advantage of Having a Personal Injury Attorney
You may believe you can negotiate with your insurance company without a lawyer. However, hiring an attorney could increase the amount of money you receive for your personal injury claim. An experienced attorney knows the monetary damages that may be obtained for an injury claim and 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 do not. Futhermore, the amount received could be two to three times higher with an attorney 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 your insurance company is resisting a settlement, don’t go it alone. Contact a car accident or personal injury lawyer.
What About Criminal, DUI, or Family Law Cases?
While much of the same advice applies when facing criminal charges, DUI charges, or a family dispute in Arizona, personal injury law is unique in that you are fighting for monetary compensation. 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.
Personal Injury Table of Contents
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.