Many people expect that the insurance company will treat them fairly after an accident. They think they will not need a lawyer and can quickly collect a settlement check that fairly compensates them for their losses.
They forget that insurance companies rake in billions of dollars every year by receiving more premiums than they pay out in claims. This means that they are incentivized to deny as many claims as possible. When this isn’t possible, they try to devalue the rest.
At Caruso Law Offices, our car accident attorneys in Albuquerque, New Mexico want to help you recover fair compensation after someone else’s negligence harms you. We have prepared this list of insurance company tricks to look out for.
Asking for a Recorded Statement
You are probably so used to hearing that you are being recorded that you don’t even think twice about it. However, be wary of any insurance adjuster who says you must make a recorded statement to “process” or “expedite” your claim. You are under no obligation to give a third-party insurer a recorded statement. In fact, you are well within your rights to decline this request.
Insurance adjusters ask for recorded statements from claimants for one reason: to use them against them. The insurance company may try to use your recorded statement in the following ways:
- Saying you were not injured because you said, “I’m fine” after they asked, “How are you?”
- Getting you to talk about your injuries at the earlier stages of your claim when you didn’t know their full extent and later minimizing their seriousness
- Using inconsistent statements you made during the recording to suggest you were lying about how the accident occurred
- Getting you to say that you were at fault for the accident when you weren’t
Offering a Fast Settlement
In some situations, an insurance company may quickly offer a settlement to resolve a claim. You may be excited about this. But if you accept, you could be paying the consequences.
Insurance companies’ first offer is rarely the best offer. Also, they often try to settle claims quickly before accident victims can hire a car accident lawyer and learn the true value of their claim.
Getting You to Sign a Medical Release Form
Insurance adjusters may claim that it would be easier for you to sign a medical release form so that they can gather all of your medical records. However, this is often a ploy to make these releases more extensive than necessary so the insurer can obtain private medical information to use against you. For example, they may try to blame your current injury on an accident that happened years ago.
Blaming the Victim for the Accident
A common strategy insurance adjusters use is to blame the accident on the victim. Most states are at-fault states for car accidents, so the driver at fault for the accident is financially responsible for the consequences. If the insurance company can convince you that you are responsible for the accident, it can deny your claim and avoid a fight.
Even if you know that another driver was partially responsible for the accident, your own degree of fault can be used to minimize the value of your claim. So, the more the insurance company can blame you for the accident, the lower they can offer to settle your case.
Telling You That You Don’t Need a Lawyer
Some claims adjusters will go so far as to tell you that you do not need a lawyer. If someone tells you that you don’t need a lawyer, you probably need one.
An Experienced Car Accident Lawyer Can Help Protect Your Rights
Caruso Law Offices wants to protect you from these insurance company tactics and maximize your financial recovery. Contact us today to learn how we can help.