How Insurance Companies Try to Undervalue Your Car Accident Claim
If you’ve been injured in a serious car accident, you’re likely dealing with physical injuries, unpaid medical bills, lost wages, and the stress and worry that comes with it. Unfortunately, insurance companies often add to that stress by using tactics to undervalue or even deny your claim. Insurance companies are profit driven and their goal is to settle your claim as quickly and for as little as possible—not to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
At Gold, Khourey & Turak, we’ve spent nearly 50 years standing up to insurance companies and fighting for fair compensation for our clients. Here’s a look at some of the common tactics insurance companies use to minimize claims and how to protect yourself.
Common Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Undervalue Your Claim
1. Quickly Offering a Low Initial Settlement
One of the most common tactics is offering a quick, lowball settlement right after the accident. This can be tempting, especially if medical bills are piling up and you are out of work. However, these early offers are almost always far below your claim’s actual worth.
It’s often impossible to fully appreciate a person’s injuries and their impact on their ability to work at the onset of a claim. Despite this, an insurance company will make an early offer in the hope that your acceptance of it will save them from making a bigger payout later on. Once you settle your claim you will be forever precluded from going back and asking for more even if your injuries are more severe than you originally thought.
Settling too soon will prevent you from getting compensation for future medical costs, ongoing treatment, or lost wages.
2. Denying Liability or Minimizing Fault
Insurance companies might try to claim that their policyholder wasn’t at fault or that you were partially responsible for the accident. In some cases, they’ll use your statements or the police report to create doubt about who was really at fault.
If they can convince you that you share some of the blame, they will use this to reduce the amount they offer to resolve your claim—or deny it altogether. It’s crucial to be cautious when speaking with insurance adjusters and to avoid admitting fault or downplaying your injuries.
3. Downplaying the Severity of Your Injuries
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize the extent of your injuries to justify a lower settlement. They might argue that your injuries are pre-existing, less severe than claimed, or that they don’t require the level of treatment you’re receiving.
Providing comprehensive medical records and getting a detailed diagnosis from your healthcare provider is critical to counteract this tactic. An insurance company will use your lack of medical treatment to minimize your injuries and your claim’s value.
4. Delaying the Claims Process
Sometimes, insurance companies drag their feet, hoping that financial pressures will force you to settle for less. Insurance companies know that you have unpaid medical bills and lost wages and will attempt to use these facts to pressure you to settle for a lower amount. By delaying your claim, they increase the chances that you’ll accept a lower offer just to pay your bills.
Acting quickly to gather evidence, document your injuries, and file your claim can help keep things moving forward. An experienced attorney can also apply pressure to prevent unnecessary delays.
5. Using Your Statements Against You
Insurance adjusters oftentimes ask you for a recorded statement soon after the accident. While they may seem friendly and sympathetic, their goal is to gather information or get you to say something that can be used to reduce your claim.
Even casual comments like, “I’m feeling okay” can be twisted to suggest that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim. It’s always best to consult with an attorney before giving any statements to the insurance company.
How Gold, Khourey & Turak Can Help
For nearly 50 years, Gold, Khourey & Turak has been helping car accident victims navigate the claims process and fight back against insurance company tactics. Here’s how we can help:
- Negotiating Fair Settlements: Our attorneys have the experience to identify lowball offers and push for settlements that truly reflect the impact of your injuries.
- Handling Insurance Companies: We take over all communications with the insurance company, ensuring that they don’t take advantage of you or twist your words.
- Building a Strong Case: By gathering medical records, consulting with experts, and documenting the full extent of your injuries, we build a case that can withstand insurance company tactics.
- No Upfront Fees: We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay us unless we win your case.
Don’t Settle for Less Than You Deserve
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you shouldn’t have to face the insurance company alone. At Gold, Khourey & Turak, we’re committed to getting you the maximum compensation possible. Call us at (304) 845-9750 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation and find out how we can help.
Christopher M. Turak focuses his practice in the areas of wrongful death and personal injury, with a special commitment to representing victims injured or killed by drunk drivers.
