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. If you are not prepared before contacting your insurance company or meeting with an adjuster, you may very well walk away empty-handed. 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. 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 case goes to trial, and the insurance company can convince a jury that you were even partially at fault, they can reduce the amount of the claim paid to you. 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. Discuss any symptoms with a doctor to ensure that injuries are documented for the claim. If you do not seek prompt medical care, the insurance company may argue the accident did not cause your injury.
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. But they may also attempt to delay the case to create a statute of limitations defense. In Arizona, the statute of limitations on personal injury cases 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 to process your claim. This common tactic is used to obtain information to use against you to undervalue the claim. Your conversations with the insurance company are often recorded. Anything you say may be used against you to hurt your claim. 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 give a written or recorded statement to an adjuster without firsttalking to a personal injury attorney.
5. Requiring Access to Your 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 claim. The adjuster may tell you in order to verify your injuries the insurance company needs copies of your medical records. It is highly probable that the insurance company will use the release to 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. Talk to a personal injury attorney before signing any record release forms.
6. Pressuring You For A Quick Settlement
Insurance companies may offer you a quick settlement before you have a chance to consult with a personal injury attorney. The first offer is almost always lower than the value of your claim. If you have been injured in an accident, it’s not in your interest to settle an injury claim before medical treatment is completed. The extent of your injuries may not be known until a doctor releases you from treatment.
7. Suggesting That a Lawyer Will Take All Your Money
You will almost always be discouraged from consulting an accident injury attorney by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may suggest the settlement does not require a lawyer or that an attorney 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 likely increase the amount you receive from a settlement.
Don’t Negotiate With Insurance Companies Without an Attorney
You may believe you can negotiate with your insurance company without a lawyer. However, hiring an lawyer could increase the amount of money you receive from your personal injury claim. An experienced attorney knows the monetary damages available for an injury claim and how to maximize the value of your settlement. An estimated 91% of people who hire a personal injury lawyer get a settlement compared to just 51% who did not. In fact, the amount you receive could be 2-3 times higher 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 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. Because of that fact it is quite common for personal injury lawyers to work on a contingency basis, taking their compensation out of the settlement and not your pocket. However, other than personal injury law, you are likely to have to dig deep to pay for a criminal defense, family law, or DUI attorney. 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 Table of Contents
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.