If you got hurt in an accident that was someone else’s fault, and you have not been through the personal injury claim process before, you might initially assume that the insurance company will send you a check for a fair settlement amount within a week or two. Nothing could be further from the truth.
When you have a personal injury claim, a Chicago personal injury attorney can help you go after the money damages that you deserve. Here is the inside scoop on how insurance companies will fight your personal injury claim.
Asking the Victim to Give a Recorded Statement
The insurance company claims adjuster will likely ask you to give a recorded statement. The excuse they will give you is that this process gives you the opportunity to tell your side of the story. In reality, the reason the insurer asks you to give a recorded statement is to look for any excuse to deny your claim, pay you less money, or even blame you for the accident.
When you work with a personal injury lawyer on your side, you do not have to deal with requests like this. The insurance company is not supposed to contact you directly when you have legal representation. If they do reach out to you, you can simply tell them to talk to your attorney.
Denying Your Claim to Make You Feel Desperate
One of the sneaky ways that the claims adjuster might try to get you to accept a settlement offer that is much lower than what you deserve is to deny your claim altogether. Of course, the result is that you will panic and think that you will get stuck with a stack of medical bills and other expenses that you cannot afford to pay. When they have you in this state of mind, the insurance company might then come back with a paltry offer, which you might accept out of desperation, thinking that it is better than nothing.
Not Explaining the Consequences of Accepting an Early Settlement Offer
People who have not had personal injury insurance claims before might not realize that they have to pay their medical bills, current and future, property loss, lost wages, and everything else related to the accident out of that one settlement check. Suppose you get offered a few thousand dollars early on after a car accident. You might think this is “free” money. You accept the settlement check and sign the paperwork that comes with the money.
Fast forward a few months, and the medical bills start rolling in. Imagine your shock when you have $20,000 in medical bills and $4,000 in lost wages. The check you received a few months ago, which is already spent, was only $10,000. The insurance company will not pay you more money.
Delaying the Process to Make You Miss the Statute of Limitations
Every state limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. One tactic the insurance company might use is to delay the processing of your claim in hopes that you do not know about the filing deadline in your case. If the deadline, also called the statute of limitations, expires before you complete a settlement or file a lawsuit, the claims adjuster will “ghost” on you because they no longer have any legal obligation toward you.
Digging Through Your Social Media Accounts
Do not assume that your social media accounts are safe from the prying eyes of the insurance company. Often, they can get access to your social media accounts. They can harvest your photographs, comments, and other posts and use them against you in your case.
Contact Our Chicago Attorneys Today
The Chicago personal injury attorneys at Hale & Monico can fight your battles for you so that you get to focus on getting better and rebuilding your life. We have a “no fee unless you win” guarantee. We are happy to offer a free initial consultation with no obligation. For legal help, contact our office today, we gladly offer a free consultation.