Insurance Companies Tactics in a Personal Injury Claim

Marken Law Group, PS, focuses on both Social Security and Personal Injury claims. We deal with auto accidents primarily and have the experience necessary to walk you through your personal injury claim.

When you are in an auto accident or injured most often you will be in contact with an adverse insurance company. Whoever injured you is, hopefully, insured and will be reaching out to you to discuss your claim. They have tactics and they are practiced among all insurance companies.

First they will be very warm and nice, stating they will pay your medical bills, seem to be interested in your well being and begin to establish some form of trust. The insurance companies will want a statement from you concerning the accident, to begin with, and if you do not have an attorney, you will likely give that statement. Do Not Give A Statement! Contact an attorney you trust and let them handle your claim. Any statement you give you will 1) not remember in two years time and 2) because you will not remember, will be used against you in any deposition, mediation or trial you might have to attend to be fairly compensated.

If you have already given your statement, do not give up after reading the above paragraph. The insurance company, after a statement is given, will ask about your medical problems in an attempt to try and pin you down to a specific injury only, trying to limit as great as possible. All this time, they will keep telling you they are going to pay your medical bills. Well, of course they will, as it wasn’t your fault you were injured! While this sounds nice, it establishes trust, you might not even need this “benefit.” Most insureds have their own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage which pays your medical bills if injured by a third party in an auto accident. Others have general medical insurance that pays their medical bills. Whatever the case may be with regards to your personal insurance, do NOT agree with the insurance carrier over medical bills or “pain and suffering” payment until you have consulted with an attorney. There are greater ramifications than can be spelled out in this short post.

A final tactic, is once 3-to-6 months have elapsed, the “check-in” phone calls every two weeks will turn into phone calls at least every week. Most insurance carriers want claims settled within 6 months for their bottom line. If they settle in 6 months, they likely have not settled for much for your pain and suffering.

The insurance adjusters will start out with $250 or $500 payment for “pain and suffering.” This is a pittance. Most injury cases, even the smallest, settle in the thousands of dollars without ever going to trial. Yet at this point you have been dealing with likely only one adjuster at the insurance company, have been promised they will pay your medical bills which are large, and so many will settle without ever contacting a personal injury attorney. Do NOT make this mistake.

Marken Law Group, PS, has the experience and dedication to handle your personal injury claims. We walk you through start-to-finish and do not charge for consultations. We offer discounted contingency fees for the military and seniors. Call today!