How Insurance Companies May Try to Mislead Car Crash Victims
Insurance companies are not in the business of providing fair compensation to injured victims after a car crash. They are in the business to make profits for their owners and shareholders. It would be a mistake to think that the insurance adjusters will be sympathetic toward you and your family. Their only loyalty lies with their employer, and their mandate is to minimize the compensation they have to pay out.
Many insurance companies resort to using dubious methods of misleading claimants in order to deny or reduce their compensation. This is why having a knowledgeable car accident attorney on your side could be invaluable to your claim.
You Don’t Have to Provide a Recorded Statement
Car accident claim adjusters are quick to call the injured victims (often within a few hours) following a car accident. They may imply that you are required to provide them with a recorded statement to process the claim. This is not necessarily true. The adjusters are carefully trained to be polite and come across as helpful. They will try to win your confidence and trust.
They may say that the statements are in your best interests and will help speed up the claims process. In reality, they are hoping that you would say something in the statement that can be used against you for denying or devaluing the claim. Normally, the insurance adjuster will ask to record the statement. This makes it easier for them to use it against an injury victim.
You should not speak with the insurance adjuster beyond providing them with relevant information. You should allow your car accident attorney to take care of the communications and negotiations with the insurance adjuster.
Quick Settlement Offers from Insurers are Designed to Mislead You
Settlements made with the insurance adjusters before addressing the full extent of injuries or obtaining maximum medical improvement (MMI) are not likely to compensate you adequately for your injuries. Insurance companies are aware of this, and they routinely resort to offering quick settlements, especially when you are in a physically and financially vulnerable situation.
After accepting a lowball offer from the insurer, you would not be able to claim any further compensation. This is true even if you discover any new medical complication later on related to your car accident injuries. Don’t accept any offers made by the insurance company before understanding the potential permanent impact and extent of your injuries.
The insurance adjuster may make false promises about seeking the most money for your claim. Don’t get fooled by these tricks. Insurance providers offering the most money for a car accident claim is just not in their best business interests.
You Don’t Have to Provide All Your Medical Records
While you may need to provide access to your most immediate and recent medical records regarding car accident injuries, you don’t need to give the insurance company blanket access to all your medical records. Insurance providers ask for access to medical records to find pre-existing injuries.
They may deny or reduce the value of your claim by calling it a pre-existing injury. The insurance adjuster may argue that the medical condition did not occur due to the car accident. You should never release your medical records to the insurance company without first consulting with a strategy-driven attorney.
Insurance companies may try and mislead you into believing that they care about your well-being. In reality, they would be perusing the medical records to find loopholes in your claim.
Insurers May Claim Your Injury Occurred from a Pre-existing Condition
Insurance companies are known to deny claims by attributing the injuries to a pre-existing medical condition. Pertaining to this, California follows the eggshell skull doctrine. You can claim for preexisting injuries and medical conditions if they are made worse by a car accident. The insurance company and at-fault party cannot escape liability. Moreover, you would need to discuss your unique situation with a dedicated and proven car accident attorney.
Choose a Car Accident Lawyer with the Ability to Take on Powerful Insurance Companies
You are probably under tremendous stress following your car crash. You shouldn’t be worrying about your finances, personal injury claim, and the insurance company when trying to recover from your injuries. Having an experienced car accident attorney can help you make sure your legal rights are protected.
A reputable attorney will take the right steps to secure compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any future impact of the injuries. Your attorney will also have the necessary resources and manpower to gather sufficient evidence for proving your claim.
Seeking strong legal representation gives you an edge during negotiations. Statistics show that insurance companies tend to take claims backed by reputable personal injury attorneys more seriously. They know that it is next to impossible to mislead or browbeat a claimant backed by solid legal representation.
Further, your attorney will not hesitate in taking the matter to court if all attempts at seeking fair compensation through negotiations fail.
Let Our Skilled Personal Injury Attorneys Negotiate with the Insurance Company on Your Behalf
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident, the experienced auto accident attorneys at Garmo & Garmo, LLP can help you get the compensation and justice you deserve. We have a proven record of strong negotiations with insurance providers backed by compelling evidence. We are relentless in our approach to protecting the legal rights of our clients. Schedule your free and confidential consultation with us today. Call 619-441-2500 or write to us online.
