When you have been injured because of another party’s negligence or wrongdoing, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries. Usually, the other party’s insurance company will pay any compensation you receive.
Insurance companies provide a valuable service by protecting us financially from potential losses. We pay the premiums for the coverage, and they should pay when we have a valid claim.
However, insurance companies are in business to make money. They will work hard to deny or devalue a claim to minimize their payout and maximize their profits.
Sometimes, they even use sketchy tactics to get an injury victim to either give up or accept a lowball settlement offer out of frustration and fear.
Some tactics that our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer can protect you against include:
Calling You Quickly After Your Injury
You will likely hear immediately from the at-fault party’s insurance company if you were injured in an accident.
Insurance company adjusters hope to catch you when you are vulnerable and traumatized after an accident. At this point, you probably are unaware of all your injuries and related medical expenses.
They also hope to speak to you before you talk to an Oklahoma City car accident attorney. They don’t want you to consider all your options, so they try to speak to you quickly.
You may receive a call from an insurance adjuster on the same day of your injury. They will likely be very friendly and sound concerned for your well-being, hoping you will trust them.
In most cases, the insurance adjuster attempts to get you to let your guard down and give them any information they can use against you. Do not be fooled by a sympathetic-sounding insurance adjuster. They are not your friend.
Telling You That You Do Not Need An Attorney
Naturally, the insurance company would rather not deal with an attorney who is experienced with its tactics. They know they have a much better chance of denying your claim or convincing you to take a low settlement offer when you do not have an attorney.
Remember, their goals and yours are not the same. You need to be compensated fairly for your injuries. They need to pay you as little as possible.
You need an experienced Oklahoma City truck accident attorney by your side. At Warhawk Legal, we don’t need insurance companies to play fair for us to beat them at their own game.
Misrepresenting the Law to You
It may seem shocking, but insurance adjusters may lie to you. They may tell you that you are not entitled to certain damages or that the amount you can receive is capped, knowing this is untrue.
They can use your lack of familiarity with the law to confuse you so they can pay you less than you deserve. You need an excellent personal injury lawyer to evaluate your case and advise you on what a fair settlement for your claims is.
Delaying Your Claim
An insurance adjuster may use delay tactics to drag out your claim. They know that you probably have mounting medical bills and may be unable to work. They know you are financially vulnerable.
Insurance companies use this to their advantage. If they delay long enough, you may get so frustrated that you give up. You may also accept their low settlement offer to get some financial relief.
Do not accept less than you deserve for your claim. Once you settle, you can not ask for more, even if you later learn that you settled for far too little.
At Warhawk Legal, our team of attorneys investigates our client’s accident to determine all possible causes and potentially liable parties. Before valuing your claim, we ensure that all current and future damages are included and adequately assessed.
You need to know what your case is worth to understand a fair settlement offer. Do not settle without knowing your claim’s actual value.
Asking For a Medical Release Authorization
Insurance companies hope you will sign a blanket release allowing them to look at all of your past medical history. They will then try and find something in your record to claim that your injury was pre-existing to the accident.
Do not sign a medical authorization without speaking to your attorney first.
Asking For a Recorded Statement
Insurance companies often ask injury victims to give a recorded statement about the accident. They will try to get you to say something that either admits your fault or minimizes your damages.
Be very careful when speaking to an insurance company, whether recorded or not. Decline to give them a recorded statement and talk to any attorney.
Using Your Social Media Posts Against You
Insurance company adjusters often go through your social media accounts looking for evidence to deny your claim or minimize their payout.
Do not discuss your injuries or the accident on social media. Additionally, be very careful what you post on your accounts.
You could post a seemingly innocent picture of you enjoying yourself, and the insurance company could try to use it to show that your injuries are not as severe as you claim.
Contact Warhawk Legal Today
You need an experienced Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyer who knows all the insurance companies’ tactics and how to overcome them. At Warhawk Legal, we have protected Oklahoma injured victims’ rights for over 20 years.
We do not allow insurance companies to take advantage of our clients. We hold them accountable and get maximum compensation for our personal injury clients.
If you have been injured due to another person’s fault, let us help you. Contact us at (405) 397-1717 or complete the short form on our contact page now to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.