If there is one thing everyone should know about insurance companies is that they are companies run for profit and not for everybody’s well-being. Because of that, it is often that these companies will try their best to deny and thus ruin any personal injury claim you might try to make. In this article, you will have a look at some of the most common strategies that insurance companies use to ruin your claim.
Shifting Positions
The first thing you might expect an insurance company to do to ruin your claim is to have them shift the blame of the accident on you. There are many states where if some of your actions are found to have played a certain role in causing the accident, you might be denied the claim. To avoid this, you want to get yourself an experienced attorney who knows the laws of that particular state and has experience with personal injury claims.
Consistency is Key
The next thing they will look out for are inconsistencies within your story. During the discovery (the part where you are called in and asked many questions about the accident), they will try to debunk and rephrase everything you are saying. To make sure that you are avoiding any inconveniences, make sure to discuss and prepare the questions with your lawyer. On top of that, reporting all your symptoms to your doctor and having him or her write everything down is a must.
Beware of Your Medical History
Another thing that insurance companies might try to use against you is your pre-existing medical and/or psychiatric history. Although this is a sensitive and very personal matter, you must be aware that insurance companies will not shy away from using your past conditions against your claim. In situations like this, it is better to come clean about everything that has happened to you that might be used against you. You do not want to have them call you out for lying when you simply wanted to avoid opening up old wounds. A lawyer can help guide you along this process.
Settling
The next dangerous move they can try to make against you is to have you settle the claim before contacting a lawyer. While some choose to accept the settlement money and to drop the claim, it is obvious that they intended to have you get away with as little as possible. This is because they know that your claim can be valued at so much more. So make sure to discuss this with a lawyer before proceeding with the settlement because you might be entitled to much more than you would expect.
The First Report
Suffering an accident is a traumatic experience, no matter what the outcome is. Sometimes, because of the shock, people might not be able to recognize all the symptoms they have when asked how they are feeling. Because of that, it is very important to seek professional medical assistance and to communicate with them any minor symptom you might be having. Failure to report a neck injury in your first report might ruin your claim, for example. So, make sure to consider every minor symptom and to immediately notify your doctor of any changes in your health.
Finally, when dealing with personal injury claims, you have to remember that the insurance companies will always look for their best interest, and because of that, having a lawyer by your side can help improve the outcome of your claim.
