In 2019, there were 4.5 million car crash injuries that required medical attention. For each personal injury after a car crash, there were medical bills and treatments.
Who pays for those expenses? Of course, it’s the reason you have car insurance and the reason you hope the person who hit you also has car insurance.
It’s likely that every time a car crash injury occurs, there’s an insurance company that will need to pay out. Here’s the dirty little secret, insurance companies like you to think they are there to protect your interests, but in reality, they don’t like to pay money out in claims.
Often, in fact, they’ll work hard to avoid having to pay or work to pay the bare minimum to you. So, if you want advice about car crash injuries, it’s smart to get a lawyer.
Read on to learn how insurers mislead car crash victims and why you need to consult a personal injury lawyer to handle your case.
Thinking of Going It Alone? Why You Need to Get an Attorney
For many victims of car accidents and resulting injuries, they assume the insurance company will automatically do right by them. In fact, many victims may start out trying to deal with their insurance company on their own.
This is what the insurance company hopes you’ll do. Then they can make you a settlement offer quickly and hope you’ll accept it.
While you might be facing medical bills and be anxious to get funds from insurance, you might not fully know all of your expenses right away. Most people, who are not lawyers, don’t fully realize all the things that can be a part of an accident claim.
This is what the insurance company is banking on. They can get you to agree to their first early and low offer.
The opposite is also possible without the help of an attorney. If you have multiple insurance companies involved in your claim, nobody wants to pay. Or they expect the other insurance company to pay. Meanwhile, you need to wait while the sides tussle it out.
Be Prepared to Handle the Insurance Company
After an injury accident, the last thing you need is to deal with a difficult insurance company or one that’s not straightforward.
So, you need to have your guard up for the potentially misleading statements. Let’s take a look at some things an insurance company might say to you to get you to avoid hiring an attorney.
The Lawyer Will Take A Big Chunk of Your Settlement
First, any honest attorney will tell you if they think you’d be better off without an attorney.
The insurance company knows they will get away with offering you less if you don’t have an attorney. On the flip side, an experienced personal injury lawyer will know all the things that should be a part of your claim. This might include things like compensation for missed work or money for your pain and suffering.
Will you need to pay an attorney? Yes, but you’ll be paying for their expertise where it’s likely in the long run will get you a larger settlement.
The Insurance Company Will Look Out for Your Best Interest
If you hear an insurance adjuster say this to you, it should alarm you. Remember, who the insurance adjuster works for, the insurance company.
It’s their job to look out for the insurance company, hoping to pay out as little as possible, not you. When the insurance company employs them, they can’t be looking out for your best interest.
Your Claim Value Is the Same With or Without an Attorney
Here’s the problem with that statement, you don’t know what you claim is really worth. The insurance adjuster and the personal injury lawyer can figure out what it’s worth because they have experience.
If the insurance adjuster tells you your claim is worth a certain amount, you are taking a leap of faith that they are including all they should in the claim.
The truth is that an experienced attorney will know all the things that should be included in your claim and hold the insurance accountable for including those in your claim. Some of those things include:
- Pain and suffering
- Cost of future medical care
- Punitive damages
They can include things like lost wages for caregivers and make sure you have all the rehabilitative care you might need too.
The Claims Process Will Slow Down With an Attorney
While your attorney will want to gather evidence and consider all the facts and that takes time, the truth is that often an attorney can speed up the process, especially if the insurance company is giving the brush off.
The attorney can put together a concrete settlement package with a timeline attached to it. This means the insurance has to respond and keep things moving along.
The Insurance Company Will Need an Attorney If You Hire One
Don’t let the threat of them hiring an attorney dissuade you from protecting yourself. First, your attorney is likely going to negotiate with the adjuster.
If the case goes to trial, the insurance company will bring in its attorney. Be assured, they already have an attorney at their disposal if the case proceeds, don’t let this empty threat throw you off.
Accept This Offer or We’ll Withdraw All Offers
The insurance company is obligated to pay its claims and do so in good faith. They can’t refuse to pay a claim if you’re insured. This is often an empty threat to get you to accept an early offer.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney to Protect Your Interests
Personal injury cases from an auto accident can get complicated quickly when there are multiple insurance companies involved.
The average person doesn’t have the knowledge to understand all that can be included in a claim. They also don’t have the necessary experience to negotiate the best possible settlement.
Because this is what a personal injury attorney does all the time, they won’t be intimidated or fooled by the insurance company’s tactics.
Avoid Insurance Company Trickery After Car Crash Injuries
Car crash injuries are awful and can really throw your whole life into a tailspin. You deserve the right compensation for your accident claim.
Have you been in an accident with injuries? We can help you handle the insurance company and get you the settlement you deserve. Contact us today for a free case review and we’ll get started working on your behalf.
CONTACT A TAMPA AUTO ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
In short, after a car accident, you may not know your rights. Above all, don’t struggle through the process alone. Actually, our personal injury team is here to help you with any legal needs you might have regarding your accident.
Lastly, let RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. So, get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.RHINO.77.
