The primary goal of insurance companies is to protect policy owners and offer the lowest possible settlements, no matter what it takes. Insurance agents can be ruthless when it comes to claims, and it can be challenging to spot the tactics that insurers use time and again to cheat victims out of settlements that they deserve. How can you stay protected from the other party's insurance company? What are the most common insurance tactics used to get you to settle your claim for less?
In this FAQ, we'll discuss the tricks that insurance companies rely on to get victims to settle claims for lower or mediocre settlements, and how a car accident lawyer in St. Louis can protect you from accepting less than your claim deserves. If you've been injured because of another person's negligence, and need protection the other party's insurance company, call or contact Burger Law at 314-542-2222 or 618-272-2222. Our car accident lawyers in St. Louis will stop at nothing to protect our clients and will do everything in their power to recover the maximum amount of damages for your case. Not to mention, we don't charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for attorney fees unless we win damages for your claim.
Five Common Tactics Used by Insurance Companies
Insurance agents are highly-skilled in negotiating and getting victims to think that they are on their side but flipping the script at the last second to cheat you out of a fair settlement. If you've been injured in an accident because of another person's negligence, and are worried about being taken advantage of by the other party's insurance agent, the five most common tactics that insurance companies use to get victims to settle for lower or reduced settlements include:
- Don't Talk to the Insurance Company - no matter how persistent the other party's insurer is, don't talk to insurance agents directly. Let your attorney handle this - insurance companies will try to get incriminating statements from you, or attempt to record your statement over the phone to pin the blame for the accident on you
- Lawyer Up As Soon As Possible - the sooner that you consult an attorney about your situation, the better. The insurance company might try to take advantage of your vulnerability after the accident and offer you a lower or reduced settlement for your claim before you've had the chance to speak with an attorney
- Don't Trust Insurance Agents - the other party's insurance company will try to act like they are on your side -- checking up on you regularly, sending small checks in the mail for damages, etc. The goal here is to keep you happy in the immediate so that you'll be satisfied enough to keep pushing off filing a claim and surpass your state's statute of limitations
- Stay Off Social Media - insurance agents use whatever evidence they can after accidents to offer the lowest number of damages possible to victims. Posting on social media might seem harmless, but if you file a claim, citing pain and suffering or injuries, and then make a post on social media that's happy, or shows you doing an activity, an insurance agent could use this against you and deny your claim
- Don't Put Off Reporting an Accident - if you didn't report the accident right after it happened, or didn't get medical treatment for your injuries right away, the insurance company might try to use this against you and cheat you out of a fair settlement for your claim
Hiring a car accident lawyer in St. Louis after an accident not only offers protection from the insurance company during this challenging time but increases the odds of recovering the most compensation for your claim. Your attorney not only knows the tactics used by insurers to settle claims for less, but what it takes to negotiate, and win, the most damages for your case.
How Can I Make Sure That I Recover the Most Compensation for My Case?
The most significant factors involved in the number of damages you can receive for your case, are whether you have an aggressive attorney representing your case, if you sought immediate medical treatment and have proof of your injuries, documented your lost wages and other damages after the accident, and the evidence you have of the other party's liability.
When calculating a settlement for your case, insurance adjusters will look at the total sum of these elements and decide to accept or deny your claim. After the insurer makes an initial offer for your case, your car accident lawyer in St. Louis can then negotiate with the insurance company for a settlement that compensates for your damages in the accident. Or, if the insurance company continues to try and cheat you out of a fair settlement, or deny your claim, your attorney might decide that it's a good idea to file a lawsuit against the insurance company and fight for your case in trial.
Burger Law is committed to protecting clients from the tactics of insurance agents and is passionate about fighting for the maximum settlement for reach case. If you were injured in an accident that was someone else's fault, and need protection from the other party's insurance company, call or contact our personal injury lawyers in St. Louis at 314-542-2222 or 618-272-2222 to explore the options available to your case. We don't charge any fees for our consultations, and we never ask for any attorney fees unless we win your personal injury claim.