If you have been injured in an accident, the last thing you’d want is to deal with a complicated and lengthy insurance claim process. Unfortunately, many accident victims in Chicago find themselves in this situation. To make matters worse, insurance adjusters often use underhanded tactics to try and settle claims for lower amounts than victims deserve.
This is especially true in cities like Chicago, where personal injury cases can be complex and payouts tend to be larger due to higher medical costs. In this blog post, we will explore the various cheap tactics that insurance adjusters may use to downplay your injuries or offer a lowball settlement. We’ll also discuss how having reputable Chicago personal injury lawyers on your side can help protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.
Insurance Adjusters’ Cheap Tactics
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Chicago, you may find yourself dealing with insurance adjusters who are more interested in saving money for their company than ensuring you receive fair compensation for your injuries.
These adjusters often employ a variety of tactics to lowball victims and minimize the amount of money they have to pay out. Let’s take a closer look at some of these cheap tactics and discuss how Chicago personal injury lawyers can help you fight back.
1. Delaying Tactics
One common tactic used by insurance adjusters is to delay the claims process as much as possible. They may drag their feet when it comes to investigating the accident, requesting additional documentation, or responding to communications from victims.
By prolonging the process, they hope to wear victims down and convince them to accept a lower settlement.
2. Blaming the Victim
Another tactic used by insurance adjusters is to try to shift the blame for the accident onto the victim. They may argue that the victim was partially or entirely at fault for the accident, thereby reducing the amount of compensation they are willing to offer. This can be especially damaging in cases where the victim is partially responsible for the accident.
3. Questioning the Severity of Injuries
Insurance adjusters may also try to downplay the severity of the victim’s injuries in order to justify offering a lower settlement amount.
They may argue that the victim’s injuries are not as serious as they claim, or that they are the result of pre-existing conditions rather than the accident itself. In some cases, they may even request that the victim undergo an independent medical examination by a doctor of their choice.
4. Making Lowball Settlement Offers
Perhaps the most blatant tactic used by insurance adjusters is to make lowball settlement offers right from the start. They may offer victims a fraction of what their claim is worth, hoping that they will accept it out of desperation or a lack of understanding of their rights. These initial offers are always far below what victims are entitled to.
5. Pressuring Victims to Settle Quickly
Finally, insurance adjusters may try to pressure victims into settling their claims quickly before they have had a chance to fully assess the extent of their injuries or consult a personal injury lawyer. They may use scare tactics or make false promises to convince victims to accept a settlement offer on the spot. Victims should be wary of any adjuster who tries to rush them into making a decision.
How Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Chicago and are dealing with an uncooperative insurance company, it’s important to seek legal representation as soon as possible. Chicago personal injury lawyers have experience dealing with insurance adjusters and know how to counter their cheap tactics.
They can advocate on your behalf, negotiate with the insurance company to ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries, and, if necessary, take your case to court. With a skilled attorney, you can level the playing field and fight back against insurance companies’ attempts to lowball victims.
Conclusion
It is important for individuals to be aware of the cheap tactics that insurance adjusters may use to lowball victims and avoid paying the rightful compensation. As we have discussed, these tactics can include downplaying injuries, denying liability, and delaying the claims process.
However, with the help of experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers, victims can effectively combat these tactics and ensure they receive the compensation they deserve.
These attorneys have extensive knowledge of insurance laws and are well-equipped to negotiate with adjusters. By hiring a skilled lawyer familiar with the Chicago area and its rules, victims can level the playing field and increase their chances of receiving fair compensation.