If you’ve been injured in an accident at a business, such as a slip and fall, the company’s insurance company may try to contact you to offer a settlement for your injuries. It is their job to save the insurance company money by settling claims for as little money as possible. In order to receive just compensation for your injuries, you need to be aware of the tricks used by insurance companies.
Saying an Attorney Isn’t Necessary
Insurance companies do not want you to get an attorney involved in the claims process and will try to talk you out of hiring one. The adjuster may claim lawyers will take more of your settlement then they’re entitled to and entice you to settle by offering to pay you quickly. However, if you live in the Macon, GA area, you should hire a Macon injury lawyer to represent your interests after you’ve been injured in an accident so you can get the compensation you deserve.
Delaying Your Claim
The insurance company may try to delay processing your claim to get you to settle for a lesser amount. The insurance company may also try to pay some of the smaller bills that you have and put off the larger ones in hopes that the statute of limitations runs out. In many cases, the insurance company may try to place blame on the victim for the accident by claiming that you somehow faked the injury as a way to get the claim dismissed or reduce the amount of the award or that it was a pre-existing injury and that you should not receive full compensation.
The assigned adjuster may refuse to take your calls by having the receptionist tell you he is not available and ask to take a message, then not call you back. He also may say that your claim is being processed when it is really sitting on his desk. Whatever they can do to delay paying you will be done in hopes that you will give up and settle for less.
Try to Deny Your Claims
Some claims adjusters may try to minimize your injuries or say that your claim will be denied because the injury isn’t covered by the policy. Remember that a claims adjuster is not a doctor and that if your injury is related to the accident you had, you deserve to receive compensation for your medical expenses. Only medical experts can evaluate your injuries to determine if there will be long-term consequences due to them and if you need further rehabilitation for which you can receive compensation.
Ask to Record a Statement
After you’ve filed a claim, a representative from the insurance company may call and try to get your statement by saying that the law requires that your give a statement. Then the representative will ask your permission to record the call while you’re making the statement. Any time you’re asked for a statement or asked to answer questions, refer the call to your attorney.
Knowing the tricks insurance companies use can help you avoid settling your claim for less than what you deserve.
This guest blog post was submitted by Davis Alley on behalf of The Sessions Law Firm, LLC.
