After a car accident, you file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. After that, an adjuster, either internal or external, investigates the details. The insurance agent will gather information about the scene, damages, weather, injuries, and any unusual circumstances to determine a settlement amount. One thing that many injury victims forget is that while adjusters may seem friendly and concerned, their priority is the insurance company’s bottom line, not your well-being. With that in mind, the Las Vegas car crash lawyers at The Paul Powell Law firm discuss various insurance company tricks used to minimize your claim payout.
9 Insurance Company Tricks Adjusters May Use Against You
While some people might believe that insurance companies are there to simply help them after an accident, their primary goal is profit, just like any other business. This can lead to what’s known as insurance company tricks–deceptive tactics adjusters use to minimize your settlement. Here are nine of the most common ones to be aware of:
Advising Against Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
While it may seem convenient to trust your insurance company to resolve a car accident claim on your behalf, it is much wiser to seek out and speak to an experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer first. A knowledgeable injury attorney can help you with numerous issues of your injury claim, as well as recommend good doctors to treat your injuries and represent your best interests. Insurance agents, on the other hand, typically look for the fastest solution that costs their company the least amount of money. Their need to maximize profits is why many of them advise against working with an injury attorney.
Asking for a Recorded Statement
Insurance adjusters may reach out to you quickly because they want to obtain recorded statements before you’ve had time to organize your thoughts. They hope that you’re foggy about the details of the accident and may use your own statements to lower your settlement payout. Their goals include getting you to admit some level of fault and downplay the extent of your injuries. Some insurance agents even attempt to confuse people about the facts and details of the accident. A competent Nevada injury attorney can protect you from these types of insurance agents.
Pretending to Be On Your Side
Claims adjusters, and other insurance personnel, may indicate that they are doing everything possible to settle the claim and get you paid as much as possible as soon as possible. Their real goal may be to keep you appeased and distracted long enough to allow the Nevada statute of limitations to expire on the claim.
Offering Quick Settlements
Insurance companies may try to take advantage of you by offering an on-the-spot settlement. In most cases, the amount of money is smaller than a fair settlement. Additionally, these “quickie settlements” usually require you to sign a full release that absolves the insurance company from other damages you may be entitled to. This most often happens at the scenes of accidents, while the victims are not yet aware of the full extent of damages or injuries and are willing to settle for less compensation without realizing it.
Delaying Payment of a Claim
Insurance companies may delay payment of a claim, hoping that you will settle for anything, just to gain the quickest payment possible to cover lost wages and medical expenses. This is part of a set of insurance company tricks known as “delay, deny, defend” designed to pressure injury victims into accepting a payout that’s a fraction of what they really deserve.
Conducting Surveillance to Minimize Your Injuries
The insurance company may hire private investigators to record video or take photographs of injury victims to disprove the severity of their injuries or damages claimed. These photographs and videos may be misleading, showing you under the best possible circumstances and downplaying the day-to-day struggles of your injuries.
Using Social Media Against You
Not only will car insurance companies hire private investigators to conduct surveillance, they will also follow accident victims on social media sites looking for information and posts to challenge their claims. Insurance companies want to see if you talk about the accident on social media, possibly suggesting that you have some degree of liability or disclose negative information. The insurance company wants to see if you are engaging in activities that you should not be able to do, given the extent of your injuries.
Misrepresentation of an Insurance Policy’s Coverage
Claims adjusters sometimes misrepresent the amount of insurance available for a claim. There is often more coverage than they lead you to believe. They are not the only experts when it comes to your vehicle’s insurance policy. Working with an accomplished Las Vegas injury lawyer can help make sure that you get every dollar owed to you by the insurance company.
Denying Claim Payment
An insurance company may deny or limit their liability for paying a claim by saying the accident was your fault or partially your fault. They may do this knowing that you had no part in causing the accident. This is part of the aforementioned “delay, deny, defend” tactics. These insurance company tricks are aimed to pressure you while you’re suffering from an injury, hoping that you’ll cave in and accept their lowball offer. Don’t let the insurance company bully you. Let The Paul Powell Law Firm fight back on your behalf today.
Contact a Top Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer Today
Dealing with insurance companies can be a stressful and complicated process, especially when you believe they employ insurance company tricks to cheat you out of money that’s rightfully yours. The car crash attorneys at The Paul Powell Law Firm have decades of experience fighting against these tactics and have a proven track record for winning top compensation for our clients.
Furthermore, our firm will never take more than you receive from your case. This is documented with the State Bar of Nevada. When we say “More Lawyer. Less Fee.” we genuinely meant it and are proud to put it in writing.
The Paul Powell Law Firm understands that you have many choices for a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer and hopes that you’ll consider us for your personal injury claim. Our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to discuss your injury claim and to schedule your free consultation. You can reach us by phone at (702) 728-5500, clicking the contact button above, or visiting our Las Vegas office.