Navigating the aftermath of a car accident can be draining, especially when you are facing the added challenge of dealing with insurance companies. Unfortunately, insurers often employ strategies that can deny, delay, or reduce the settlement of claims, leaving victims without the compensation that they need to recover.
However, working with an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney can help you identify these tactics and circumvent them when they arise. Here are some of the most common strategies that insurance companies may employ—and how they can affect your claim.
Why Do Insurance Companies Try to Undermine Car Accident Claims?
Insurance companies are businesses first and foremost, operating with the primary aim of maximizing profits. By minimizing the amount paid out in claims, they protect their bottom lines.
This economic drive motivates the deployment of various strategies to challenge the validity, extent, or necessity of claims arising from car accidents. These approaches are used to preserve financial resources and maintain a position of authority in negotiations, often at the expense of claimants.
Common Tactics Used to Deny or Delay Claims
When engaging with insurance representatives, it is important to approach these discussions with caution and work with a lawyer who can protect your interests. Some of the most common tactics used by insurers include:
- Requesting Unnecessary Information: Insurers may request excessive or irrelevant documentation that is not necessary for processing the claim. This not only delays the process but also burdens you with gathering and submitting additional paperwork.
- Disputing Medical Treatment: They might question the necessity, extent, or cost of your medical treatment, arguing that certain procedures were not needed or should cost less.
- Blaming Pre-existing Conditions: Insurers may claim that car accident injuries resulted from pre-existing conditions rather than the collision itself, attempting to reduce their liability.
- Offering Quick, Low Settlement Offers: Early settlement offers are typically much lower than what the claim is worth. Your insurer will hope that you will accept this offer before understanding the full extent of your damages, banking on your immediate need for financial relief.
- Surveillance and Social Media Monitoring: Insurance companies may monitor your activities, including social media posts, to find evidence suggesting that your injuries are not as severe as claimed.
- Use of Recorded Statements Against You: Shortly after the accident, insurance adjusters might seek a recorded statement. Later in your case, they may use this statement to identify discrepancies in your story and justify a lower payout.
- Delaying Tactics: Simple delays, such as not responding to communications promptly, can cause frustration during the claims process. As a result, you may be tempted to accept a lower settlement out of desperation.
What to Do If You Are Facing Resistance from an Insurer
Insurance adjusters are trained professionals adept at employing these strategies to their advantage. However, hiring an Atlanta car accident lawyer can alter this dynamic in your favor. Your attorney will understand how to counter these tactics so that your rights are protected and your claim is accurately valued.
From gathering evidence to handling communications, the attorneys at Monge & Associates can fight for the compensation that you deserve. Contact us today at (678) 535-3938 or toll-free at (888) 653-0605 and learn how we can help you navigate the insurance process.