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. Sadly, insurance companies are not there to help, frequently fighting claims to avoid payouts. It’s critical to be prepared before discussing your case with an insurance adjuster In a recent article Phoenix personal injury lawyers pulled back the curtain on the tactics used by insurance companies to reduce the payout to settle 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
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
Prompt medical care is essential for your personal injury claim. 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. Drag Out A Case
Delaying the case is also a common tactic. 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. In Arizona, the statute of limitations on personal injury cases is 2 years. There are exceptions to the statute of limitations that 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 Written Statements
A claims adjuster may ask you to provide 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 undervalue the claim. Your conversations with the insurance company are often recorded. Anything you say can be used against you to hurt your claim. Adjusters work to protect the insurance company’s interest not yours, regardless of what they tell you. It is never in your best interest to provide a written or recorded statement without firsttalking 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 may be used to deny or lower the value of your personal injury claim. The adjuster may 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. There are laws that prevent insurance companies from denying claims based on prior injuries or conditions. Talk to 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 attorney. The first offer is almost always less than the value of your claim. If you have been injured, it’s never in your interest to settle an injury claim before medical treatment is completed. The full extent of your injuries may not be fully known until all medical treatment has been completed.
7. Discouraging You From Contacting a Lawyer
You will almost always be discouraged from contacting a personal injury lawyer by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may tell you the settlement does not require a lawyer or that a lawyer will take all your money. However, in reality, most personal injury attorneys 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 Benefit of Having a Personal Injury Attorney
You may believe you can negotiate with your insurance company without a lawyer. However, hiring an lawyer could increase the amount of the settlement you receive for your personal injury claim. An attorney understands the monetary damages available 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 get a settlement compared to only 51% who did not. In fact, the amount received could be two to three times higher with a lawyer negotiating the settlement. If you are injured due to someone else’s actions 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.
Personal Injury & Car Accident Resources
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.