If you’ve been in an accident in Illinois and filed an insurance claim, you may find yourself dealing with an insurance company. Claims adjusters are employed by insurance companies, not by you. Their goal is to settle claims for as little money as possible.
Many accident victims accept the first lowball settlement offer from an adjuster without understanding their rights. This can leave them unable to cover their medical bills or lost income.
So, how do you scare an insurance adjuster into offering you fair compensation for your claim? Here are tips our experienced Illinois personal injury attorneys at Onward Injury Law recommend.
Know How Adjusters May Try to Take Advantage
Insurance adjusters have tactics they often use to minimize settlement payouts. Being aware of these tactics can help you avoid falling into traps.
Common tactics include:
- Asking for an unnecessarily large amount of medical records to try to find unrelated conditions to blame
- Delaying responses to you to make you accept a lower offer out of frustration
- Pretending to be friendly and on your side to get you to admit fault accidentally
- Making extremely low first offers hoping you don’t know the value of your claim
- Denying liability completely even when fault is clear
Adjusters may also try to scare you by making your claim process overly difficult and demanding unnecessary recorded statements.
Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
The most effective way to scare an insurance adjuster is understanding they can no longer take advantage of you. This is best accomplished by hiring an experienced personal injury attorney.
An attorney levels the playing field by handling all negotiations with adjusters for you. The adjuster will know they can no longer deny clear liability or make unreasonably low offers, hoping you’ll accept them without understanding the law.
Your attorney will aggressively fight for a fair settlement offer that covers the full value of your medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Know Your Insurance Policy and Legal Rights
Before an adjuster contacts you, learn your own insurance policy inside and out. Understand exactly what coverage you have for property damage, medical payments, lost wages, and liability.
Also educate yourself on your rights under Illinois personal injury law. Your attorney can explain concepts like comparative negligence and statutes of limitations.
This knowledge prevents adjusters from misrepresenting your benefits or pressuring you with false time constraints. Showing the adjuster that you’re informed makes them less likely to try to take advantage of you.
Don’t Accept an Unfairly Low Offer
Many insurance adjusters will make a very low first offer, hoping unrepresented claimants will accept it without negotiating further.
Don’t fall into this trap. Be prepared to negotiate firmly for a fair settlement offer that fully compensates you for the real impact of your injuries. Have your attorney present documentation supporting higher compensation.
If the insurance company won’t negotiate reasonably, your attorney can file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. Lawsuits show the company you’re willing to take them to court if needed to get the compensation you deserve.
Gather Evidence to Support Your Claim
The more evidence you have to prove liability and the severity of your damages, the more leverage you have to demand fair compensation.
Be sure to:
- Get contact info for any witnesses to the accident
- Take photos of property damage, skid marks, and injuries
- Get police reports detailing who was at fault
- Follow doctor’s orders and attend all therapy appointments
- Keep records of all medical bills, lost wages, and expenses
Providing this evidence to the adjuster proves your claim is legitimate and worth their full compensation.
Don’t Provide Certain Information
While gathering evidence is crucial, certain information helps insurance companies more than it helps your claim. Avoid providing:
- Recorded statements about the accident
- Previous medical records unrelated to this injury
- Details on preexisting conditions
- Social media posts exaggerated for humor
- Evidence suggesting you may be partially at fault
State only the facts necessary to prove your losses and the other party’s liability. Let your attorney handle providing the adjusters information.
Be Ready to Negotiate Firmly
Don’t accept a lowball offer right away. Be prepared to negotiate a fair settlement firmly.
Have your attorney present a formal demand letter detailing your damages and the settlement you need to cover them. Then continue negotiating up from the initial offer.
If negotiations reach an impasse, show you’re willing to take further legal action by having your attorney file a personal injury lawsuit. This demonstrates you won’t be intimidated into accepting less than you deserve.
Understand How Insurance Adjusters Operate
Remember that insurance companies and adjusters want to maximize profits by minimizing claim payouts. Don’t take an adjuster’s friendliness as a sign they are on your side.
View negotiations as business transactions, not personal attacks. Stay calm and professional as you firmly advocate for fair compensation.
By understanding adjusters work for the insurance company’s bottom line, you can more effectively stand up for yourself during the claim process.
Contact An Experienced Illinois Personal Injury Attorneys Today
The insurance claims process can be frustrating and confusing for accident victims. Adjusters often take advantage of claimants without legal representation.
Don’t let an insurance company scare or pressure you into accepting an unfair settlement offer. The attorneys at Onward Injury Law will aggressively fight for you.
They have extensive experience negotiating maximum settlements from insurance companies. They can handle the claim process while you focus on your recovery.
Contact Onward Injury Law for a free consultation on your Illinois accident claim. Call or visit https://onwardinjurylaw.com to get started.
