3 Ways Insurance Companies Manipulate Personal Injury Victims
When you are in a car accident, the costs of your medical expenses, lost wages and a percentage for pain and suffering are added together to form a base for negotiations for compensation. This is rarely the amount that victims are actually given, and many ask why. Keep in mind, the job of the claims adjuster for an adjacent company is to save that company money. There are rules that claim adjusters must follow, yet there are claims adjusters that may attempt to derail personal injury victims by grossly lowballing the amount that they are owed.
At Mitch Grissim & Associates, we want to protect personal injury victims and receive just compensation. Learn three improper tactics used by claims adjusters to derail personal injury victims and how working with a personal injury attorney in Nashville, Tennessee can help.
1. Prompting to Settle with the Other Company
One way that insurance claims adjusters attempt to work around the rules of properly adjusting claims is by falsely directing a victim to contact the responsible party or their insurance company and settle for a disclosed amount. Not only is this against policy, but it almost never ends well for the accident victim. Let your insurance company or attorney be your mediator with the claims adjuster. They will insure that you do not settle prematurely and are able to get the amount of compensation that you are entitled to.
2. Saying that You Delayed Your Claim
There are many instances where a claim is not filed immediately after an accident. Under these circumstances, some adjusters attempt to intimidate victims by telling them that they will not be able to pursue a claim due to the delay. With third party claims, there is no time limit to follow to file your claim other than the statute of limitations. If you are told that you have waited too long to file, or even asked about your delay, simply remind the adjuster that you are well within your rights. It is important to note that the job of the adjuster is specifically negotiations and not determining the validity of your claim.
When filing with your personal insurance company, there may be a time that you are directed to follow so that the company can successfully pursue your personal injury claim. Normally, unless so much time has passed that fulfilling the claim would be impossible, there is no issue with a delay.
3. “You had No Out of Pocket Expenses.”
It does not matter if every penny you lost or paid out for medical expenses was paid out by your insurance or workers compensation. A claims adjuster has no business asking you what your out of pocket expenses actually were. In fact, this is prohibited by the collateral source rule. If this becomes an issue, speak to the superior of your claims adjuster and, if necessary, report the grievance to the Tennessee state insurance department.
Contact Your Trusted Personal Injury Attorney
Your personal injury attorney at Mitch Grissim & Associates is ready to give you the legal support that you need to successfully pursue your personal injury claim. If you’re located in Nashville, Tennessee and would like more information regarding a case, visit our areas of practice page or contact a representative with our firm today.
