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
We've all been there, an auto accident, slip & fall, or another personal injury, all you want is fair compensation from your insurance company. Unfortunately for accident victims, insurance companies fight personal injury claims to avoid paying money. 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. 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
Dragging out the case benefits the insurance company. The insurance company knows you need the money, 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. 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 Written Statements
It’s not uncommon for an adjuster to ask for 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 deny the claim. Your conversations with the insurance company are often recorded whether they tell you or not. Anything you say may be used against you to deny your claim. Be careful what you say to insurance adjusters. 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 to an adjuster without firsttalking to a personal injury attorney.
5. Asking You For Access to Medical Records
Another common tactic is to request a medical records release to gather evidence that can be used to 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 entire medical history to search for prior injuries and argue that they are responsible for your injury. There are laws that prevent insurance companies from denying claims based on prior injuries or conditions. Consult 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 consult with a car accident lawyer. The first offer is almost always lower than the value of your claim. When you have been injured, it’s never in your interest to settle an injury claim before medical treatment is completed. The extent of your injuries may not be fully known until a doctor releases you from treatment.
7. Discouraging You From Contacting a Lawyer
You will almost always be discouraged from consulting a personal injury attorney by the Insurance Company. The claims adjuster may suggest the settlement does not require a lawyer or that a lawyer will just take all the money. However, in reality, most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing, and having legal representation will likely increase the amount received from a settlement.
The Advantage of Having a Personal Injury Attorney
You might think that you do not need a personal injury lawyer and can get a settlement on your own. However, hiring an lawyer could increase the amount of money you receive from your personal injury claim. An experienced attorney knows the monetary damages that may be obtained for an injury claim and how to maximize the value of your settlement. An estimated 91% of people who hire a personal injury attorney won a settlement compared to just 51% who did not. In fact, the amount received could be 2-3 times more with an attorney negotiating the settlement. If you are injured due to someone else’s actions in Phoenix or the surrounding communities, and you’re dealing with an insurance company, don’t go it alone. Contact 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}. Here is a list of Phoenix area criminal defense, family law, and DUI lawyers in the Phoenix valley and surrounding areas to get you started.
Phoenix Injury Attorney Presentations
Here’s a map of criminal defense lawyers, DUI lawyers, family law attorneys, and divorce lawyers throughout the Phoenix valley and communities.