If you have a personal injury case you are trying to pursue to receive fair compensation for damages, then you must be prepared to handle opposing insurance companies. They do not want you to get the money you deserve and will do anything to make your case difficult and reduce your settlement amount.
Knowing how to handle them is also important because roughly 95% of personal injury lawsuits settle before making it to court. This means that businesses don’t want the hassle of a tedious legal case and they will pay out fairly if you know the right strategies.
Opting to reach a personal injury settlement without the right tools and knowledge will result in a more stressful experience and lower settlement value. Fortunately, we’ve got some great tips to help you effectively handle the selfish tactics of opposing insurance companies below!
Communicate Extremely Cautiously
A crucial starting point is to ensure that you are extremely cautious during your communications with an insurance company.
A savvy insurance agent will use anything you say to discredit you and sabotage your case. Their goals are not justice for you, but instead protecting the financial well-being of their company.
This means limiting what you say to them. Don’t overindulge and refuse to answer any questions that make you uncomfortable or seem like they’re trying to catch you doing something wrong.
Even if the insurance company seems friendly, do not engage in small talk as they can trick you into accidentally admitting something. The less you say to them, the less they have to work with and use against you.
Thorough Documentation
It is also essential that you maintain thorough documentation during your personal injury lawsuit.
Personal injury claims are complex and lengthy processes that require extensive documentation to show your injuries and prove with evidence that another party caused them. It is not enough to know that someone else caused your injuries, you must also prove that it happened with something more than your word.
With a personal injury case, you should have plenty of pictures of the accident and your injuries, medical reports detailing the extent of your injuries, and a police report or other official records of the accident occurring.
When you have plenty of documentation, you’ll be able to clearly show that the accident happened, the other party caused it, and how it has affected you. In turn, opposing insurance companies will have less to dispute and this results in a quicker settlement for you.
Remain Persistent
You should also remain persistent during your personal injury claim.
A good insurance adjuster will employ tactics that confuse you, frustrate you, and waste your time. They want you to give up on your case or accept a low settlement amount and making the process difficult for you is an effective way to make that happen.
It is common in personal injury lawsuits for adjusters to be overly thorough. This means more opportunities for someone to fall through or delay in response, provide a mismatching testimony, or otherwise provide information that can be used to sabotage your case.
With this in mind, you must be patient throughout all the delays and proceedings you face. You are likely to be asked many questions and to provide documentation repeatedly. Be prepared for this and don’t cave into the pressure of accepting a lesser settlement for a quicker resolution.
Carefully Commit To A Settlement
Arguably the most important piece of advice is to be careful about committing to any settlement offer.
This is because once you accept a settlement offer, you cannot change the terms or receive any additional compensation for your losses. If you unknowingly accept a low offer, you are permanently stuck with that settlement offer.
Receiving a low settlement is incredibly unfair, but it happens to many unsuspecting people with claims. This is why understanding the proper value of your accident and injuries is essential to evaluate if a settlement is worth accepting.
You only have one opportunity to receive fair compensation for your personal injury case, so you cannot rush into a settlement.
Consult A Lawyer
Because personal injury lawsuits are so confusing and stressful, they are incredibly challenging to manage on top of the injuries you’ve sustained.
That said, the effective management of a personal injury claim is required if you don’t want to be underpaid. The best strategy for this is the enlistment of an experienced personal injury lawyer that can take on and pursue the case for you.
Personal injury lawyers are especially beneficial because they eliminate the biggest inconvenience of opposing insurance adjusters. A good lawyer will see through the busy work and take action to keep your case moving along.
Most importantly, a personal injury lawyer will be able to accurately determine the value of your case and ensure you receive nothing less. You also don’t have to worry about costly legal fees because their pay usually comes out of your total settlement, meaning you can expect a quick and effective resolution.
On top of this, insurance adjusters do not want to go to court. Having a lawyer means you are willing to fully pursue the legal process. This alone can serve as an incentive to provide a fair offer before more resources are wasted.
With a good lawyer at your side, the personal injury claims process is simplified and hassle is greatly minimized.
Closing Thoughts
Opposing insurance adjusters can be one of the most troublesome aspects of a personal injury lawsuit. You may have an excellent case, but the stress of being constantly questioned and analyzed can cause you to crack and accept a low settlement offer.
To prevent this, you should understand the best strategies for handling opposing insurance companies. This includes being extremely cautious with communications, maintaining thorough documentation, remaining persistent throughout a lengthy process, being hesitant about committing to a settlement, and contacting a lawyer for an expert opinion.
Personal injuries caused by another party mean you deserve compensation, so you can’t let an insurance adjuster get in the way of what is fair. Know your rights and understand the worth of your injuries so you aren’t undervalued.
