If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, the last thing you want is for the insurance company to get the best of you. This is definitely not an April Fools’ Day joke – it happens every day.
Contrary to how advertisements present insurance companies, your best interests are not the driving force behind their actions. Their interest is in making money and increasing profits, and they answer to top management and shareholders – not you.
There are several actions an insurance company may engage in to reduce the value of a settlement. Don’t fall prey to these strategies.
Many insurance companies offer lowball settlements or challenge a valid claim in an attempt to pay out nothing. Working with an attorney can help you recover the true value of your claim.
Why You Should Hire an Attorney to Handle Your Car Accident Claim
No matter how friendly insurance adjusters may seem, make no mistake, their objective is to pay you as low a settlement as they can convince you to accept. An adjuster may try to dissuade claimants from hiring an attorney. That’s because insurance companies are aware that they may have to pay out far more to someone who has retained legal representation.
The following are just a few of the benefits of working with an experienced attorney:
An experienced attorney has an in-depth understanding of the legal process and understands what documents are required, how to prove fault and calculate damages, and how to successfully deal with insurance companies.
An attorney can help you determine what benefits you are due under your policy and the policy of an at-fault driver.
With an experienced car accident attorney managing your case, your odds of maximizing your claim may substantially increase.
When you hire an attorney, you can focus on getting better instead of dealing with negotiations, bureaucracy and other worries.
What Insurance Companies May Do to Try to Make a Claim Go Away
When an insurance company tries to reduce the value of a claim or pay an inadequate settlement rather than pay what a claimant is rightfully owed, it may be a sign the company is acting in bad faith. Some of the most common signs of insurance bad faith practices include:
Failure to acknowledge receipt or respond to a claim request in a timely fashion.
Unnecessary delays in processing a claim.
Delaying or denying payment on a covered claim without a reasonable explanation.
Attempting to settle a valid claim for far less than is owed under the terms of the policy.
Offering a settlement below what is reasonable and fair in an attempt to make a claim go away.
Making unreasonable demands for documentation that is not required by the insured’s policy.
Failure to employ proper investigative techniques when investigating a claim.
Making threats to deny coverage unless a settlement is accepted.
Wrongful cancellation of coverage.
Putting insurance company profit and needs over paying a valid claim from a policyholder.
Legal Representation to Maximize Your Insurance Claim
In the event you or someone you love is injured in a car accident, you should seek legal representation immediately. Do not attempt to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company directly. Do not accept a settlement offer or sign any documents without first seeking counsel from a Jacksonville car accident attorney.
While you may have medical bills pilling up, lost wages and costly repairs as a result of the accident, it is very risky to accept a settlement before the extent of your damages has been assessed. An attorney can help you determine both immediate accident-related expenses as well as the future costs you are likely to face should you require treatment such as physical therapy, rehabilitation, new job training and other necessities.
Contrary to how advertisements present insurance companies, your best interests are not the driving force behind their actions. Their interest is in making money and increasing profits, and they answer to top management and shareholders – not you.
Many insurance companies offer lowball settlements or challenge a valid claim in an attempt to pay out nothing. Working with an attorney can help you recover the true value of your claim.
Why You Should Hire an Attorney to Handle Your Car Accident Claim
The following are just a few of the benefits of working with an experienced attorney:
What Insurance Companies May Do to Try to Make a Claim Go Away
Legal Representation to Maximize Your Insurance Claim
While you may have medical bills pilling up, lost wages and costly repairs as a result of the accident, it is very risky to accept a settlement before the extent of your damages has been assessed. An attorney can help you determine both immediate accident-related expenses as well as the future costs you are likely to face should you require treatment such as physical therapy, rehabilitation, new job training and other necessities.