The time after a car accident is stressful and emotionally draining. Victims will fall for anyone willing to help them at this stage, and insurance companies take advantage of the situation. They will pretend to be on your side and even offer to compensate you immediately. But the truth is, they do not care about you, only but to reduce the value of your settlement.
We are not saying that insurance companies are bad; they are just doing their job but at your expense. For that matter, consider hiring a car accident attorney who will help you file a claim and deal with the cunning insurance guys.
Tricks Insurance Companies Use to Trick Car Accident Victims
No matter how convincing they sound, the insurance company will never be your friend. They will play with your mind, and before you know it, they have offered you peanuts as compensation, and you cannot appeal for more settlement.
Below are some of the tricks they will use to lure you:
1. Play the Good Guy
The insurance company understands that you need help, and they will offer to be on your side. They will do all it takes to gain your trust. They will sound empathetic and even promise to settle your compensation soon because you need the money to get on with your life.
They will say something like, “we are willing to pay for your hospital bills and offer you additional money to help you in recovery.” It sounds like a good deal, but this is the route to a low settlement.
If you agree to their offer, they will ask you to sign a form that closes the case. If your injuries get worse after that settlement, you will have no one to run to, because they tricked you to release the insurance company of the liability and, worse, offered a low settlement.
Suppose at any point you feel like the insurance adjusters are pressuring you to accept their offer, or they are not listening to your demands: ask for more time, and hand over your case to a car accident lawyer immediately.
2. Recorded Statements
The insurance company will approach you for a statement concerning the accident, which is okay. The trick comes in when they insist on a recorded statement. They will ask trick questions and somehow make you say things that show that you were also at fault. They will keep a recorded statement to prove to the court that you admitted to being at fault in the accident, which is a way of devaluing your settlement.
They will also want to know how you are feeling health-wise, and statements like “the injuries were not so bad” or “the pain is not as much” will be used to mean the injuries suffered were not as severe as indicated. Therefore, decline any requests from the insurance adjusters to make statements. Always refer them to your lawyer.
3. Pointing the finger at Another Driver
If the accident involved multiple vehicles, the insurance company would try to blame the driver they have not insured. In such a situation, everyone will be blaming the other, and at the end of the day, no one will be held liable for the accident.
This forces you to take matters to court. The parties involved might start getting honest on the mention of the court, but the process will take more time and money. For that matter, make sure to hire a lawyer who is not afraid of taking the court route.
Hire an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
Dealing with insurance adjusters can be an extreme sport. To relieve yourself of the stress and dirt that the insurance company throws your way, surrender the case to an experienced car accident lawyer because they know how to handle all their tricks.
