If you are injured in a car accident, there is a good chance that you will be dealing with a claims adjuster or perhaps even an attorney from the insurance company. Depending upon the circumstances, there are several strategies that will be employed in order to turn you away from the idea of hiring an attorney. You need to be aware of these strategies, so you will not be fooled into thinking you don't need legal representation. The following are the most common.
They will attempt to have you sign documents
The best way to do this is simply having a check ready for you to accept and cash. All you have to do is sign a release form, and the check is yours. You may even think that there may be more money that you can get in the future, so it's safe to take the check today. Even if you don't sign any release forms, simply endorsing the check and cashing it may be enough to free the insurance company from further claims.
They are ready to reimburse for your medical expenses
If your injuries are serious enough, the insurance representative will always show sympathy for what you have been through and will be ready to reimburse for all your medical costs. They may go so far as to add a miscellaneous reimbursement to cover any minor expenses they forgot about. The insurance company will seem like such nice people. The problem is that there is usually a big gap between what they are willing to give you and what you are entitled to. You will seldom get any money for time off from work nor will you receive anything for pain and suffering. You are not likely to get the full amount for medical costs either. Money for physical rehabilitation will seldom be accounted for.
They will tell you that an attorney means less money for you
This is a common tactic when you mention that you want to speak to an attorney. Usually, it is after they have made you an offer, but you are hesitant to accept it. If you hire an attorney, they tell you, the attorney will only be taking a part of the money that is yours. Even if you were to get a little bit more money, after the lawyer fees, you will end up with less money than the settlement offer you are looking at. However, the truth is that when you hire an attorney, even after their fee, you will almost always get your more compensation.
Regardless of the extent of your injuries, insurance companies have a wide variety of strategies to pay you less than you are entitled to. Never sign anything, and speak to a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.