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. Sadly, insurance companies are not there to help, frequently fighting claims to avoid payouts. 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 the insurance company suggests you are partially at fault for your injury, hire a personal injury lawyer immediately.

2. Deny Claims Due To Delayed Medical Care

Prompt medical care is essential for your personal injury claim. 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

Delaying the case is also a common tactic. Dragging out the case delays the settlement, so delays put pressure on you to accept 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. Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident to avoid a problem.

4. Requiring Written Statements

It’s not uncommon for an adjuster to ask for a written or recorded statement 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 often recorded. Anything you say may be used against you to reduce your claim. Be careful what you say to insurance adjusters. Claim adjusters work to protect the insurance company’s best interest not yours, regardless of what they tell you. It is not in your best interest to provide a written or recorded statement to an adjuster without talking to a personal injury lawyer.

5. Asking You For Access to Medical Records

Another common tactic is to request a medical records release to gather evidence that may be used to deny or lower the value of your personal injury claim. The adjuster may tell you to verify your injuries the insurance company needs 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 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. Talk to a personal injury lawyer before signing any release forms.

6. Pressuring You For 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. When you have been injured in an accident, it’s never in your best interest to settle a personal claim before medical treatment is completed. The extent of your injuries may not be known until all medical treatment has been completed.

7. Suggesting That a Lawyer Will Take All Your Money

You will almost always be discouraged from consulting a personal injury attorney by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may tell you the settlement does not require a lawyer or that an attorney will just take all your money. However, in reality, most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing up front, and having legal representation will likely increase the amount received 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 money you receive from your injury claim. An attorney knows the monetary damages that may be obtained for an injury claim and they know how to maximize the value of your settlement. An estimated 91% of people who hire a personal injury attorney receive a settlement compared to only 51% who did not. In addition, the amount received could be 2-3 times more with an attorney 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 dealing with an insurance company, 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 Personal Injury Attorney Locations

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Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.