Navigating the aftermath of a car accident is complex, especially when dealing with insurance companies. Insurance companies often present themselves as reliable supporters during your time of need, but their primary goal is always to minimize their own financial losses. This leads to adjusters unfairly reducing the value of your insurance claim, leaving you with less than you rightfully deserve.

Various tactics insurance companies may employ after a car accident to diminish the value of your claim may include calling you right away before you have a chance to determine the extent of your injuries, asking you to provide a recorded statement, and others. Understanding these strategies is crucial, and Chaile Allen is on your side, empowering you with knowledge and insight to navigate these tricky waters and secure the compensation you are entitled to. 

7 Tactics Insurance Companies Use After a Car Accident to Diminish the Value of Your Claim 

Whether you’re dealing with minor damages or significant injuries, being aware of the following tactics makes a significant difference in the outcome of your car accident claim: 

Immediate Contact Post-Accident

Insurance companies often reach out soon after an accident, a strategic move to engage you while you’re vulnerable, unaware of your injury’s full extent and unrepresented by legal counsel. Their representatives may appear friendly and sympathetic, attempting to earn your trust during this difficult time. However, it’s vital to remember that their primary objective contrasts with your interests. This friendly demeanor is a tactic to lower your defenses and extract information that could later be used to undermine your claim.

Request for a Recorded Statement

It might seem reasonable when an insurance adjuster requests a recorded statement about the accident or your injuries. However, this is not a gesture of fairness but a strategy to gather evidence that could be used to deny or devalue your claim. They may probe for details about injuries before you’ve had a chance to fully assess them or see a doctor, and these statements can be manipulated to suggest inconsistencies or exaggerations in your claim.

Signing Medical Authorization

Insurance companies may ask you to sign a comprehensive medical authorization, a common tactic to access extensive personal medical history. Contrary to what they suggest, they use this information to find previous medical issues to argue your current injuries are unrelated to the vehicle accident. This tactic aims to attribute your condition to pre-existing factors, not the accident in question.

Early Settlement Offers

After an accident, insurance companies might quickly offer a settlement, which is tempting when you are vulnerable and unaware of the extent of your injury. Accepting this offer requires signing a release, effectively ending your right to future claims related to the accident, even if your condition worsens.

Denying or Partially Denying Liability

Insurance companies may outright deny or partially contest liability, especially in cases with minimal property damage or where they can suggest shared fault. This tactic aims to reduce their payout or avoid it entirely, relying on the possibility that claimants will become frustrated or confused and abandon their claim.

Challenging Medical Bills and Treatment

These companies often dispute the validity or duration of medical treatment to reduce claim value. They may suggest that treatment was excessive or unnecessary and discourage continued care, later using any cessation of treatment as evidence against the severity of your injuries.

Discouraging Legal Representation

Insurance companies may suggest that hiring an attorney is unnecessary, aiming to deal with unrepresented claimants who are less likely to challenge low settlements or unfair practices. A car accident lawyers in Abilene provide focused knowledge and advocacy, which insurance companies prefer you to be without.

At the Law Firm of Chaile Allen, we help challenge these tactics and fiercely advocate for your best interests so you may recover the compensation you need to recover from your injuries. 

Speak With a Car Accident Lawyer at The Law Firm of Chaile Allen

If you suffered injuries in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, you want to protect your right to compensation. Chaile Allen is here to help you navigate the unfair tactics of insurance companies on your behalf so you are able to concentrate on healing. 

For a complimentary consultation with a car accident lawyer, call our office today at (325) 670-9282 or fill out our contact form.