Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers Pull Back The Curtain on Insurance Settlements
Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers Pull Back The Curtain on Insurance Settlements
Northwestern Phoenix Legal Services
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 this article, Phoenix personal injury lawyers provide tips and reveal common tactics used by insurance companies to minimize settlement 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. Shifting the Blame
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. Denial of Claim Due To Delayed Medical Care
It is essential that you seek medical care promptly afer an accident. Document any injuries or symptoms with a doctor for your claim. If you do not seek prompt medical care, the insurance company may argue the accident did not cause your injury.
3. Delaying The 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. 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. There are exceptions to the statute of limitations that 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
It’s not uncommon for an adjuster to ask for a written or recorded statement for the insurance company to process your claim. This tactic is used to obtain information which may be against you to undervalue the claim. Phone conversations with your insurance company are usually recorded. Anything you say may be used 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 never in your interest to provide a written or recorded statement to your insurance company without talking 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 personal injury 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 likely that the insurance company will 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. Pressure To Accept A Quick Settlement
The insurance company may offer you a quick settlement before you have a chance to consult with a car accident lawyer. But the offer amount is probably much less than the value of your claim. When you have been injured, it’s not in your interest to settle an injury claim before medical treatment is completed. The full extent of your injuries may not be known until all medical treatment has been completed.
7. Discouraging You From Contacting a Lawyer
You will almost always be discouraged from consulting a personal injury lawyer by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may suggest the settlement does not require an attorney or that a lawyer will just take all the money. However, the truth is, most personal injury attorneys accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing up front, and in fact legal representation will likely increase the amount you receive from a settlement.
Don’t Negotiate With Insurance Companies Without a Lawyer
You may believe you can negotiate with your insurance company without a lawyer. However, hiring an attorney could increase the amount of the settlement you receive from your injury claim. An experienced 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 only 51% who did not. Futhermore, the amount you receive could be 2-3 times more 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. 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. 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 Injury Attorney Presentations
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.