Dealing with an injury can be overwhelming, especially when the insurance companies care a little more about keeping the payout as low as possible. You may feel daunted, lost, and quite bewildered about what to do. Knowing their strategies can make you better equipped and responsive. Proper planning allows you to prepare yourself and be one step ahead in protecting your rights. Here are five common tactics insurance carriers use to fight injury claims.
1. Delay in the Claims Process
Most insurance companies delay, annoy, and upset the claimant with the hope that they might give up or accept a low settlement offer. Delays could range from requesting irrelevant documents to extra time investigating the claim to transfer your case from one representative to another. Acting quickly helps the claim process go smoothly.
Consult an attorney like this Orlando personal injury lawyer if you're wondering what to do if the insurance company is stalling. They will ensure their expertise to press the insurance team and prove that you mean business. The proper guidance ensures you strike when evidence is fresh and witnesses are available.
2. Dispute Liability
The insurance adjuster may claim that their policyholder is not at fault or that a substantial portion of liability lies with you. This often is because you are unfamiliar with the liability laws and the type of evidence necessary for your case.
It may require solid evidence such as a police report, eyewitness statements, and a video of the incident, typically captured using closed-circuit television. If the insurer wants to shift some blame to you, engaging the service of a legal expert is justified to assist in arguing the case and countering the ploy of blaming you.
3. Downplaying the Severity of Your Injuries
The insurance company often claims that your injuries are not as severe as you state. They could question the necessity of your medical treatment or even suggest alternative, cheaper methods that would help. This is a ploy to try to support a lower settlement offer.
You can fight this by keeping detailed medical records and attending all follow-up appointments. A doctor's testimony can also be critical in establishing the full extent of your injuries and providing appropriate compensation.
4. Offering Quick, Low Settlements
Insurance companies try to settle claims as quickly as possible by offering a settlement that sounds great upfront but is far beneath the value of your injuries and damages. These offers are often made before you have had the time to realize the full impact of your injuries. While it might be tempting, particularly when the medical bills are mounting, the urge to accept a settlement early should be avoided at all costs.
When this offer is made, you will especially want to research with a professional if the offer covers your current and future costs accumulating from your injury. When you've agreed upon a settlement, any possibility of going and hoping for more is lost because your right to further additional damages, in most cases, is then void.
5. Using Statements Against You
The insurance adjusters are specially trained to take your statement in a manner that minimizes or completely denies your claim. This may include asking casual questions to make you accept your fault or even minimize your injury.
The best way to avoid this trap is to stick to the facts and refrain from discussing your case with the insurer without legal advice. Consult an attorney who will guide you so that what you say does not go against your case.
Endnote
Insurance companies use several tactics to devalue injury claims; knowing their strategies can allow you to protect your rights. You can counteract such attempts at minimizing compensation by being well-informed, documenting all the evidence, and seeking legal advice where necessary. Never settle for a quick, low offer without assessing the full extent of your injuries.
