What an Insurance Company May Say After an Accident
March 27, 2015
Insurance companies exist to protect and support us when we need it most,
right? The reality is that it isn’t that simple. Insurance providers
are, first and foremost, a business, which means that most are profit-driven
and don’t always place your best interests as their top priority.
Unfortunately, this mentality may lead to bad-faith tactics intended to
minimize the settlement that they have to provide you for a personal injury claim.
At Henningsen Injury Attorneys, P.C., we want to ensure that you are aware
of certain tactics that a provider may use to deny, delay, or otherwise
avoid paying you the full and fair amount that you need. Being prepared
and vigilant when facing insurance companies can make the difference between
accepting an unfair settlement or denial and fighting for the justice
you deserve.
If you have concerns about a provider’s actions, discuss your options in a
An insurance company may tell you one or more of the following:
Settle with another party’s insurance. You may be given the “cold shoulder” when attempting to proceed
against one party’s insurance provider, and they may tell you that
another party or individual was more responsible for the accident. It
is your right, until one party assumes primary liability, to take action
against any potentially responsible entities involved.
Too much time has passed. While there is a
statute of limitations on filing personal injury lawsuits, there are no other time limits that
are imposed by law. If the claim was filed late enough that the insurance
company’s ability to investigate was negatively affected, the burden
of proof of prejudice lies on the provider. Simply denying your claim
because of a delay within the statute of limitations is invalid.
You’ve been compensated already. You may have taken certain precautions like paying for health or other
insurance, and you may have earned vacation or sick pay. These benefits
may have provided you with certain support for lost work or medical bills,
and this is none of their business. A person who is responsible for causing your injuries should not benefit
from your proactivity and is still responsible for paying for the damages
he or she caused, regardless of other funding you have received. In fact,
under the “collateral source rule” of the law, an adjuster
should not even ask about such payments.
Don’t face insurance providers alone.
If a company is giving you excuses to avoid payment, you have the right
to take action. Our Atlanta injury lawyers can help you stand up to stubborn
insurance adjusters to fight for the compensation that you lawfully deserve.
If you’ve been involved in an accident, remain vigilant of bad faith
insurance tactics and
contact Henningsen Injury Attorneys, P.C. immediately if you have any concerns.
