Tricks Insurance Adjusters Use With NV Personal Injury Claims
Many accident victims mistakenly believe that insurance companies are on their side and want to help with their personal injury claim. In reality, insurance company adjusters work to devalue or deny claims in order to increase the company’s profit margin. If you’ve been injured in an accident, you need an experienced Nevada personal injury lawyer on your team to guide you through every step of your claim. Don’t try to negotiate with insurance companies on your own! Consider these common tactics used by insurance adjusters that can hurt or even eliminate your personal injury claim and damages compensation.
Offering a Fast Settlement
One tactic frequently used by insurance adjusters is contacting you very shortly after an accident claim is filed. The adjuster will likely express their sympathy and make you feel like they are on your side, but this can be deceiving. They really want to get in touch with you so they can get you to agree to a small settlement before you’ve had a chance to consult with a Las Vegas car accident lawyer and discover the real – likely much higher – value of your claim. Although their initial offer may seem generous, it probably will not cover all of your losses, and if you agree to the settlement, you won’t have a chance to change your mind or seek a higher value later once you discover your actual damages and expenses.
Requesting a Recorded Statement
An insurance adjuster might ask you to provide a recorded statement telling your side of the accident, acting as though it is a required part of their claim procedure. However, these statements never benefit you as an accident victim. The insurance adjuster will try to get you to provide very specific details in the statement that can, and likely will, be used against you later to prove inconsistency in your story or imply that you are being deceitful in your claim. The questions may be designed to force you to admit that you were distracted or careless, or to admit to how fast you were driving, and seriously hurt your personal injury claim later. Don’t provide any statements to an insurance adjuster without consulting with your Reno car accident lawyer first.
Asking You To Sign a Medical Authorization
In most cases, an insurance adjuster will ask you to sign a variety of documents, including a medical authorization, which gives them access to your medical records. Unfortunately, this medical authorization may extend far beyond the medical records associated with the accident and corresponding injuries in an effort to uncover more details about your medical history that are both personal and may be used to try to deny your claim based on a pre-existing injury or condition. Do not sign any documents from an insurance adjuster without your Henderson truck accident lawyer reviewing them.
Attempting To Delay Payment
Insurance adjusters know that accident victims frequently face significant financial situations and an uncertain future. Continually growing medical bills while also being forced to take time off work creates an overwhelming situation that adversely affects your financial security, increasing your mental and emotional stress after an accident. The insurance company may attempt to delay a payment so that accident victims become desperate and accept a much smaller settlement than they deserve in a tradeoff for faster compensation.
Disputing Liability & Questioning Your Damages
An insurance adjuster will probably try to dispute liability in the accident by claiming that you, and not their insured party, are responsible for the accident. They may also try to attribute a large portion of the fault to you so that they can reduce your settlement award. A significant portion of an insurance adjuster’s job is to tediously examine medical bills, repair reports, and other documentation that you submit in hopes of reducing the settlement that you are owed. They may claim that you were not actually injured in the accident, that you received medical treatment that was not needed, or that you were treated for longer than needed. Work with a trusted Las Vegas motorcycle accident lawyer who can gather evidence and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.
Advising You Not To Hire An Attorney
Insurance adjusters often advise accident victims that they do not need, or cannot afford, legal help. Although they may seem like they are trying to help you, in reality they are protecting their company’s bottom line. They know that an experienced Reno car accident lawyer will work hard to win the full value of your claim and damages. The insurance adjuster won’t tell you that accident claims negotiated by lawyers usually settle for much a higher value than situations where there is no attorney involved. Their advice to forego legal help only helps them, not you.
Discover Your Rights In a Nevada Personal Injury Claim
If you are negotiating with an insurance company after an accident, you need a legal team to advocate for you. Benson & Bingham is ready to assist you with all aspects of your personal injury claim in Henderson. We provide personal representation, superior client service, and our extensive understanding of Nevada law to all of our clients. Get started with your case review today!
