Georgia Injury Lawyers Blog
It shouldn’t be surprising that insurance companies won’t make it easy for you to seek compensation for injuries you suffered in an accident. Keep in mind that for insurance companies, claimants equal financial costs, so they will try to do everything their power to minimize a settlement award. In this light, you should watch out for these underhanded tactics that insurers employ to trick injured victims into accepting lowball settlement offers.
Downplaying The Seriousness and Extent of Your Injuries
Sadly, insurance adjusters will try to pass off severe injuries as minor injuries and disabling injuries as non-catastrophic. But you should know that how your injuries are classified would directly affect the amount of compensation you’re entitled to receive, including the long-term compensation for medical care and rehabilitation. By downplaying the seriousness of your injuries, the insurance company may get away with denying you support for all your medical costs and prevent you from obtaining fair compensation and long-term support that you’ll definitely need for your recovery.
Dragging Out The Insurance Claims Process
Basically, the longer the insurer can drag out the claims process, the longer they can hold on to your money and earn interest on it. This is also the insurer’s way of testing how long you can hold out and if you’re willing to accept a quick but very low settlement.
Challenging Liability for Your Injuries
Let’s say that you have some fault for the accident. If this is the case, your personal injury recovery may be reduced based on your level of fault. Adjusters will investigate the accident to try and dig up any proof of your negligence. They’ll also try to trick you into saying things that may come across as an admission of fault to minimize your compensation. This is why it’s always best to keep conversations with the adjusters brief until you’ve had a chance to consult with a Georgia personal injury attorney.
Offering a Lowball Settlement Amount
Expect the adjuster to empathize and be sympathetic to your plight to make you think that they’re on your side. This is, however, a tactic to try and get you to settle on a low settlement offer. Keep in mind that the initial and quick settlement offer is always lower than the real value of a claim, and if you accept it, you won’t be able to come after the insurance company for more money when you realize that you’ve been deceived. If you feel that an insurance adjuster is treating your claim unfairly, don’t be intimidated. Instead, seek legal advice from an experienced personal injury attorney.
Talk to The Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys of Slappey & Sadd Now
Take a stand against unscrupulous insurance providers by working with an experienced Georgia personal injury lawyer to hold insurers liable for their shady tactics and received the compensation you deserve. If you’re struggling with your insurance claim due to the sneaky tactics of an insurance provider, call Slappey & Sadd to arrange a free claim evaluation with one of our Georgia personal injury attorneys today. Contact us online or call 888-474-9616 to reach us.