While insurance companies have the responsibility to ensure that your personal injury claim isn’t fraudulent in any way, they may rather try to undervalue your claim to pay out as little as possible in settlements. Insurers are likely to closely monitor your actions and statements after the accident in the hopes of catching you in a mistake. They may then use this to dispute your claim to reduce or even deny fair compensation.
Below are a few tactics that insurance companies have been known to use to try and reduce settlements:
- The insurer may twist and misrepresent your recorded statements: After an accident, the insurance company might call you to get a recorded statement about the incident and your injuries. Often, they will do this quite soon after the accident when you may still be in shock, disorientated, and in pain. The questions asked by the insurer are often phrased in such a way that your answers can easily be twisted and misrepresented to dispute your claim. They aim to get you to slip up and make mistakes. It would be best to let your attorney handle all correspondence with the insurer and other disputing parties to try to avoid harming your claim.
- The insurer may try to undermine the severity of your injuries: If you put off seeking medical attention after the accident, the insurer could argue that your injuries aren’t too serious as you did not require urgent medical care. Similarly, if you don’t closely follow your treatment plan as prescribed by your doctor, the insurer could argue that you failed in your duty to mitigate damages and your negligence caused your injuries to worsen. This could mean a reduced settlement or even the denial of your claim.
- The insurer could place claimants under surveillance: You may be placed under surveillance by the insurer as they attempt to undermine your injuries and catch you in a mistake. You might be photographed doing simple activities such as lifting the garbage bag into the bin or picking up your pet. The insurer could then argue that you were negligent and did not follow your doctor’s orders, leading to a significantly reduced settlement.
- The insurer may monitor your social media accounts: Insurance companies are likely to monitor your social media accounts while your personal injury claim is pending. They may try using pictures you post of yourself doing any sort of physical activity, posts you make about your injury, and any “check-ins” you log to undermine the severity of your injuries and dispute your claim. Insurance companies have dedicated resources and strategies in place to use social media content to their advantage in personal injury cases.
Your Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Mistakes
At Obral, Silk & Pal, our personal injury lawyers have many years of experience navigating personal injury claims like yours. We can assess your claim to determine any weaknesses and gaps in evidence that need to be filled. We can also advise you on common mistakes to avoid while your claim is pending. We are committed to helping our clients build a strong case to obtain the compensation that they deserve for all medical expenses, lost income, and other damages suffered due to an accident that was not their fault. Call us today at 216-529-9377 to talk to one of our personal injury attorneys or fill out our online contact form and we will be in touch with you soon.