A car crash is always unfortunate, more so if you get injured due to the negligence of another driver. Fortunately, the personal injury law has your back as it gets you the compensation you deserve for your injuries and damages. But securing it is easier said than done, considering that you will have to deal with insurance companies that will do everything possible to settle with a minimal amount.

These are commercial entities that put profits over the duty they owe to their clients. Thankfully, you can counter their efforts to undervalue your settlement with awareness and the right tactics. Here are the insurance company tricks you should watch out for if you want to maximize your claim.

Pushing for delays

Even though insurance companies have to follow a deadline for responding to claims, they seldom do it. You can expect them to buy as much time as possible, often delaying the response till the last day of the deadline. It is a coercive tactic they apply to make the victim nervous. It is easy to influence victims who are already going through major stress due to injuries and financial losses caused by the mishap. The case apparently gets more complicated for the victim with the delay, and you may believe that it isn’t worth the settlement value you deserve. Stressed victims end up accepting the initial offer, which is most likely to be lower than the value they deserve.

There are many ways they can do this. For example, they may keep on requesting additional documentation, drag out the investigation process, or fail to respond to phone calls or emails. They may also request unnecessary medical exams or consultations to prolong the process.

It’s important to stay vigilant and keep a detailed record of all communication with them. If you feel the insurance company is dragging its feet, don’t hesitate to follow up and push for a resolution. To help you fast-track this process, you should get an experienced lawyer to advocate on your behalf. If you need a car accident attorney after an accident, contact your friends for referrals and recommendations.

Remember, the longer the claims process takes, the more opportunity the insurance company has to minimize your claim. Staying relentless and firm can increase your chances of obtaining a fair settlement and moving on from the car accident.

Coming up with a lowball offer

You can expect the first offer to be much lower than the amount you should rightfully receive. With this tactic, they will pressurize you to negotiate for a lowball offer. Even as the proposition of getting quick cash sounds attractive, you should never fall for the bait. Assess whether the offer is fair and reasonable based on the extent of your injuries and losses. Remember that you waive your right to pursue further compensation once you accept this. The best move is to hire a personal injury attorney to handle the negotiation on your behalf. You can check this website to understand how these specialists work to ensure maximum compensation for car accident victims. These experts recommend that accepting the first offer would be a mistake, and you should even file a lawsuit if the insurer is being unfair.

Asking for a recorded statement  

The insurance company may also ask you for a recorded statement, hoping you’ll incriminate yourself and shift the blame on you. When this happens, you’ll more likely impact the size of your car accident claim.  

To avoid this situation, it’s best to refuse to provide any statement. Instead, inform them that a personal injury lawyer will handle your case. If you’re looking for one from a reputable personal injury law firm, ask for recommendations from family and friends or conduct an online search. Once you narrow down your options, verify their experience, reputation, and availability to ensure you find the perfect one for your situation.  

Disregarding a portion of the medical expenses  

The insurance company will also try to diminish your car accident claim by disregarding a portion of your medical expenses. They may claim that your treatment and medical costs are excessive. They may also assert that there are significant gaps in the medical treatment, or you obtain one which isn’t directly related to the car accident.  

For this reason, you should seek immediate medical attention to avoid any gaps in your treatment. Ask for a copy of the medical records to prove that the vehicular accident caused your personal injury. Doing all these can help protect yourself from an insurance company’s trick to minimize your claim.  

Stalking social media

An unexpected trick that insurance companies try to cut down compensation claims is stalking claimants on social media. Even a simple social media update can land you in trouble as the insurance company can use it to prove that you are not injured as you say in the claim. For example, they can manipulate even a post about an evening out with your friends to show that you are not suffering at all. It makes sense to take a social media break during the claim process. Also, request your family and friends to avoid sharing your photos through this period.

They may also use comments you’ve made that may be perceived that your injuries are not as bad as you say it is. To avoid this tactic, you may also adjust your privacy settings to limit those who can see your posts.

Since insurance companies have seasoned legal teams to guide them and handle settlement claims, it is not wise to combat them alone. The best approach would be to hire a personal injury lawyer to help you with the case. Their services are worthwhile because they will make sure that you never have to settle for less than the rightful compensation.