After a car accident caused by someone else, insurance companies may try to minimize or deny your claim. Knowing their tactics can protect you from losing out on the compensation you deserve. An experienced Indianapolis car accident lawyer can guide you, handle communications, and fight for your full recovery. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Quick Phone Call Shortly After The Accident
Shortly after a crash, an insurance adjuster may call you, sometimes within hours or days. They will probably act nice and tell you that they’re there to help you. While this might be partially true, these calls are also meant to catch injured victims off guard at a time when they’re dealing with a lot, like repairs and doctors’ visits. Anything you say during this conversation can be used later to argue that your statement has changed. Other than reporting that the accident took place, it’s best not to talk to them again until you’ve had time to heal a little bit and speak with a lawyer.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Asking You For a Recorded Statement
Insurance companies may ask if they can record your version of events. This might seem like a simple process, but their real reason is to lock in your words. If you say anything different in the future – even something minor – they will use this as a way to show you aren’t credible and shouldn’t be believed.
Requesting Broad Medical Releases
You could receive paperwork asking for permission to obtain your entire medical history, not just records from this accident. Broad releases let insurers sift through years of files looking for pre-existing conditions. They may use anything in these reports to try to blame your current pain on old injuries or unrelated health issues.
Delaying to Create Financial Pressure
Insurance companies may drag out your claim by asking for extra information or not returning calls quickly. The longer they stall, the more you may struggle to pay your medical bills and basic expenses. They know financial stress may push you to accept less money than your case is actually worth.
Quick, Low Offers
Not long after your crash, you could get a settlement offer. In most cases, you don’t even know the full extent of your damages and losses by that point, making it almost impossible to make sure the settlement you’re accepting is appropriate. Once you accept payment from the insurance company, you can’t go back to them later on if injuries arise, meaning you could be missing out on a lot of money.
Disputing Liability (Completely or Saying You Are Partially At Fault)
Often insurers deny fault outright, saying their driver wasn’t responsible. In other cases, they may say you are at least partially to blame. By showing that the accident was at least somewhat your fault, this reduces the payout they are required to provide.
Arguing Your Injuries Aren’t as Serious as You Claim
Insurers frequently insist that your injuries are minor, unrelated to the accident, or should have gotten better already. They might hire doctors to dispute the severity or argue that continued medical problems aren’t due to the crash.
Reviewing Your Social Media
Adjusters and investigators look up your profiles to see if you’re posting photos or messages that could suggest your injuries are less severe than what you claim. Even innocent posts about daily life or smiling with your friends could be taken out of context and used to claim you aren’t actually that hurt.
Why Working With a Lawyer is So Important After an Accident
Having a lawyer on your side helps level the playing field with insurance companies and gives you real protection against their common tactics. Here’s how they can do this:
Gathers, Preserves, and Presents Crucial Evidence
Lawyers know what kinds of documents strengthen your case, from medical records to eyewitness statements and accident scene photos. They coordinate expert opinions if needed and keep careful track of deadlines to make sure everything is filed on time.
Explains Your Rights and Options Clearly
An Indianapolis personal injury lawyer keeps you informed so you’re never in the dark. They explain what might happen with your case so you know what to expect.
Figures Out The True Value of Your Case
An attorney looks beyond just the quick medical bills and considers long-term treatment, lost earning power, pain and suffering, loss of joy from daily life, and other losses that insurance companies aren’t thinking about and victims may not even be aware of. Without legal guidance, many people accept far less than they actually need and deserve.
Handles Communication and Negotiation
Your attorney manages all conversations with the insurance company, making sure you don’t get tricked into saying things that could be twisted and used against you. They’re trained to negotiate aggressively for fair compensation based on your real long-term needs.
Prepares Your Case For Trial If Needed
If settlement negotiation doesn’t lead to a fair offer, an attorney can file a lawsuit and present your case in court. They handle every aspect of this and will fight to get you the money you deserve. If you want honest answers and someone in your corner so you’re not taking on the insurance company alone, the best thing you can do is speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. While most people think insurance companies are on their side, this simply just isn’t the case. These large companies are generally most concerned with their own bottom line, making it critical to understand these tactics and how to counter them.
The best way to do this is to work with a legal professional. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers.
