If you are involved in a car accident that causes vehicle damage and personal injury, you are likely to incur substantial expenses such as hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages, future diminished earnings and other damages.
Insurance company’s often use sharp practices to avoid paying their own insured, or to minimize the amounts that they pay, in a first party insurance claim. The other driver’s insurance company certainly has no more incentive to pay your claim. Montlick & Associates has provided some tips and warnings for dealing with the adjuster for the other driver’s insurance company. While many insurance adjusters are friendly and amicable, their job is to minimize the amount paid out on insurance claims. Even if the insurance adjuster seems helpful, the adjuster’s motives mean that you might be dealing with a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Threatening a Lesser Settlement If You Retain an Attorney: Insurance adjusters recognize that threatening to reduce the amount of a suggested settlement can induce a panicked response. Sometimes a representative of the insurance company will make threats to reduce a settlement offer if you indicate you are going to retain a personal injury attorney. Insurance company representatives know that a party represented by an experienced personal injury attorney has the experience, legal knowledge and skill to obtain a more extensive recovery. These veiled threats are designed to discourage you from leveling the playing field.
Disputing Injuries & Medical Treatment: Adjusters may dispute the diagnosis or prognosis of your doctor. The insurance company also may initially indicate that particular medical tests or procedures are not medically necessary. While the adjuster has no medical expertise to make this type of judgment, the goal is to wear you down so you accept a lowball settlement.
Delaying the Resolution of Claims: Insurance companies will do anything and everything to delay the payment of a claim. If you have no attorney, the insurance company will drag out the process as long as possible with the goal of winning a war of attrition. As the financial pressure mounts, the insurance company expects that there is an increased chance you will settle for less than the full value of your claim.
Underpayment of Medical Bills: The insurance company may try to nickel and dime your medical bills with the intention of getting you to accept less than the total amount of your bills, which means you will have to pay the balance of your own pocket or risk harming your credit rating.
Demanding Superfluous or Unnecessary Information: These types of requests can accomplish a couple of goals. The insurance company’s ongoing demands for documents and information serves as an effective tool to stall the settlement process. The insurance company also may be on a fishing expedition to find information it can use to reduce its exposure or uncover evidence that can be used at trial. For example, prior loan applications might have misstatements that can be used to attack your credibility at trial, and prior injuries might be strategically used to indicate that the present accident did not cause your medical bills and pain and suffering.
Put Our Law Firm’s Over 39 Years of Experience to Work For You!
If you or a family member has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, our attorneys at Montlick and Associates will deal with the insurance company for you. Adjusters are trained to protect the insurance company’s interests. We can level the playing field. We will take steps to protect your legal rights and to get you the the compensaiton you deserve. We have been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast for over thirty years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
