You can expect a phone call from an adjuster representing the other driver’s insurance company within hours of being involved in a car accident. This adjuster will likely be pleasant and talkative, but that does not mean they are your friend. In fact, they are reaching out to you so early on in this process in the hopes that they can get a recorded statement that will damage your claim and potentially cost you any shot at recovery.
Insurance companies and the people who work for them are not on your side. They are for-profit businesses, and their only concern is their bottom line. This is true of the carrier for the other driver, but you should be careful with your own insurance provider as well. The best way to protect yourself is to let an attorney deal with them on your behalf.
At Mabra Law, we have spent years dealing with insurance companies on behalf of our clients. We know their tricks, and we will never be intimidated by their aggressive tactics. Reach out to an Atlanta personal injury lawyer with our firm today to discuss how we could deal with your insurer.
Why Insurance Companies Are Not On Your Side
After a car accident, many people make the mistake of assuming an insurance company is there to help them. Adjusters may sound compassionate on the phone, express concern for your injuries, but behind the scenes, profit is their only goal. They are not public service agencies but a cog in the machine of a profit-hungry corporation.
At the heart of every insurance company’s business model is cost control. Every dollar they avoid paying out in a claim is a dollar of profit the company gets to keep. That means at the end of the day, their interests are directly opposite of yours.
When you file a claim, the insurance company will look for any reason to diminish its value or deny it entirely. There is nothing personal about this, as these companies use this approach against every person they insure. At the end of the day, these companies can successfully minimize risks by reducing the cost of paying out claims.
Another key reason insurers are not on your side is the vast imbalance in resources. Insurance companies have teams of adjusters and investigators they can assign to your claim, and their offices are full of data-driven systems that can crunch numbers and squeeze pennies off of every side of your settlement offer. On the other hand, the average person injured in a car accident has none of those advantages. That is where the team at Mabra Law comes in. When you rely on the guidance of an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, you can give yourself the best chance at a fair payout.
Even your own insurance company is not immune to these tactics. State law may require insurers to act in good faith, but that does not mean they will aggressively search for any excuse to deny you coverage or reduce the value of your claim. Given this aggressive approach, you must have an attorney on your side who is not afraid to fight back.
Tactics the Insurance Companies Use
The unfortunate truth is that insurance adjusters are highly trained, and their training is not focused on customer service. Their goal is to use all of the tools available to them to hamper your recovery, limit the risk of a large claim, and drag this process out as long as possible. Some of the tactics they commonly use include:
Delay Tactics
Arguably, the most common tactic among insurance adjusters is to delay any decision, favorable or not. Insurance companies have limitless resources, and putting off your case for months or even years has no impact on their bottom line. You, on the other hand, could struggle financially if it takes that long to settle your case. This could eventually pressure you to accept a low offer just to get the resources you need.
Lowball Offers
Another standard tool used by the insurance companies is the lowball settlement offer. Adjusters understand that some people involved in car accidents are not familiar with the process of negotiating settlements, while others avoid conflict at all costs. By pushing unreasonably low offers early on in the process, insurance companies are able to save money by settling a fair amount of claims for a fraction of their value.
Unreasonable Denials
Insurance companies can also take advantage of their insureds by arbitrarily denying claims without properly investigating the accident. In some cases, they might simply refuse to investigate at all before rejecting a claim due to a lack of evidence. In other situations, they may even deny the facts that you have provided them with, hoping that you will simply give up instead of pushing for a different outcome. Unfortunately, this approach is successful in some cases.
Misrepresenting Policy Terms
Another common strategy by the insurance companies is to deny a claim based on a misrepresentation of your policy language. In fact, it is not uncommon for policies to have conflict terms, only for the adjuster to rely on the one that works against you when making your decision. One way these misrepresentations work is when adjusters say a specific type of loss is not covered by the policy, when it clearly is. Your attorney can help clear up these disputes in most cases.
The Danger of Recorded Statements
After a car accident, one of the first calls you’re likely to receive is from an insurance adjuster asking for a recorded statement. They may tell you it’s routine or seem irritated if you hesitate. In some cases, they might even suggest that it will speed up the process or that refusing to provide a statement could hurt your claim. The reality is that you are not obligated to help them at all. In fact, any conversation you have with the other driver’s insurance company is likely to do more harm than good.
Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that elicit answers favorable to their company. They may ask you to describe the accident in detail before you’ve had time to fully process what happened. If your recollection is incomplete or if you speculate about certain facts, those statements can later be used against you. Even innocent remarks or statements of regret that someone else got hurt could be twisted and used against you.
Another danger is that you may not yet understand the full extent of your injuries. After an accident, adrenaline and shock can mask pain. If you tell the adjuster you feel fine, they can use that against you later once your symptoms appear.
You cannot take back a statement once you provide it to the insurance company. It becomes part of the official record of your claim and will stay with you for as long as your case is open. That’s why it’s critical to avoid making any recorded statement without first consulting an Atlanta personal injury lawyer. An attorney can not only assist you with this process but also deal directly with the insurance company on your behalf.
How an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Protects You
The period after a car accident is often filled with confusion, stress, and uncertainty. During this time, insurance companies may appear helpful, but they are working to protect their financial interests. An Atlanta personal injury lawyer acts as your advocate, making sure your rights are protected at every step and that you’re not taken advantage of during a vulnerable time.
Communicating With Insurance Companies
Once you hire an attorney, they deal directly with the insurance company, so you don’t have to. This includes not only your own carrier but also the company that insures the driver who struck you as well. This protects you from accidentally saying something that could be misinterpreted or used against your claim. At Mabra Law, we are familiar with these tactics and know how to push back against them.
Valuing Your Claim
Insurance companies often make early settlement offers that only account for your immediate medical expenses, but the odds are good you will need additional treatment in the future. An experienced attorney looks deeper, with the goal of taking the full scope of your injuries into account when building your case. Your lawyer can work with an array of experts to get a clear picture of what your claim is worth.
Preventing Exploitation
After an accident, you’re likely dealing with a host of emotions that can overwhelm most people. Insurance companies count on this to pressure you into accepting less than you deserve. A personal injury lawyer gives you space to focus on recovery while they shield you from these tactics. They provide stability and a buffer from bad-faith practices that could cost you in the long run.
Preparing Your Case for Trial
While many cases settle out of court, having a lawyer who is prepared to go to trial sends a clear message: you won’t be pushed around. If negotiations fail or the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation, your attorney will be ready to file a lawsuit and present your case in front of a jury. This level of preparation often leads to better settlement offers, even before trial becomes necessary.
When to Contact a Lawyer After a Crash
The best time to contact a lawyer after a car accident is immediately after the crash. In the hours and days following a collision, insurance companies may already be working to limit your claim. By seeking legal help right away, you give yourself a chance to level the playing field and secure a real chance at getting treated fairly. Many people wait because they assume their injuries will get better on their own, or they believe the insurance company will treat them fairly. Unfortunately, this delay often harms their case.
Speaking with an Atlanta personal injury lawyer early means you’ll have an advocate who can preserve evidence, handle insurance communications, and ensure you don’t say or sign anything that jeopardizes your claim. Even if you’re unsure whether you have a strong case, a lawyer can evaluate your situation and explain your options clearly. Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations, so there is no financial risk in getting advice.
Waiting too long can also affect your legal deadlines. Georgia law limits the amount of time you have to file a claim, and missing that window can cause the court to dismiss your case forever. Finding an attorney sooner rather than later gives your legal team more time to investigate the case and find evidence that supports your claim. The sooner you involve a lawyer, the more effectively they can prepare your claim and protect you from insurance tactics designed to reduce your payout.
Reaching out to an attorney doesn’t mean you’re being aggressive or rushing to sue, as you are never obligated to pursue your case. However, speaking with an attorney can help you evaluate all of your options and make the best possible choice for you and your loved ones.
Let Mabra Law Help You Deal With The Insurance Company
If you have been injured in a car accident and the insurance company is treating you fairly, there may still be time to get the recovery you deserve. You have the opportunity to pursue a claim and get a fair settlement, all while avoiding the frustration and stress of handling this process yourself.
At Mabra Law, we understand what your claim means to you. In order to maximize your chances of success, reach out to an Atlanta personal injury lawyer as soon as possible for a free consultation.