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. 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. 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 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
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. Failing to seek prompt medical care leaves the door open for the insurance company to argue your injuries were from a previous accident.
3. Delaying The 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. 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. For some situations, the statute of limitations 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 usually recorded whether they tell you or not. Anything you say can be used to deny your claim. 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 best interest to give a written or recorded statement to your insurance company without talking to a personal injury lawyer.
5. Requiring Access to Your Medical Records
A 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 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. Pressure To Accept A Quick Settlement
Insurance companies may offer you a quick settlement before you consult with a personal injury attorney. The first offer is almost always lower than the value of your claim. When you have been injured in an accident, it’s not in your best interest to settle an injury claim before medical treatment is completed. The full extent of your injuries may not be known until a doctor releases you from treatment.
7. Discouraging You From Contacting a Lawyer
You will likely be discouraged from consulting a personal injury lawyer 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 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 probably increase the amount you receive from a settlement.
The Advantage of Having a Personal Injury Lawyer
You might think that you do not need a personal injury lawyer and can get a settlement on your own. However, hiring an lawyer could increase the amount of money you receive from your injury claim. An attorney understands the monetary 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 just 51% who did not. Futhermore, the amount you receive could be 2-3 times more 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. Contact 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. As a result, almost all personal injury lawyers will work on a contingency fee, meaning they only get paid when you do. There is no out of pocket expense to you 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.
Phoenix Divorce Lawyer Locations
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.