1. Recorded statements can hurt your claim.
Insurance companies go out of their way to get a statement from you. It is often recorded and people do not realize that the statement can be used against you in the future, if you decide to bring a lawsuit. People also do not realize that giving a recorded statement is optional. They falsely believe that not providing a recorded statement will prevent them from being compensated. For example, if you leave out any injuries in your recorded statement and then later bring up those injuries during litigation then the insurance company will argue that the injury, which was not listed in the statement, is made up or is not a result of the accident.
2. Insurance companies do not want you to hire a lawyer.
When they know that you have a lawyer, then the insurance companies know they will have to pay more and litigate their case, which also costs them money. For the insurance companies, the ideal scenario is that you never hire a lawyer, and they pay you a modest amount, or nothing at all, for your injuries.
3. It is important that you tell your doctor everything about your injuries from the accident.
Documenting your truth about the injuries is the key to success. Tell your doctor everything that bothers you. This way if you decide to start a lawsuit then you will have enough medical evidence to prove your injuries. For example, you have a neck injury from an accident, but your knee is also bothering you. Over time as your neck pain becomes more tolerable your knee pain becomes more obvious. Down the road you discover there is a tear in the cartilage of your knee. The insurance company, however, will take the position that your knee injury is not a result of the accident. They will say you hurt your knee much later, after the accident. In order to avoid this situation, see your doctor and other assigned medical professionals regularly to discuss ALL your issues.
4. Honesty is the best policy.
There are cases where the insurance company does not settle because they have caught you lying. If they feel that your injuries are being exaggerated, then the insurance company knows that a jury will not be sympathetic. They know juries reward honest people. The last thing you want is to be caught on surveillance doing something that you said you cannot do. You will lose credibility and will run into problems once you are in front of a jury.
5. Insurance companies make millions of dollars and make it seem that personal injury claims are frivolous lawsuits.
They want you to think that personal injury claims are just a way for people to make money. People who are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence deserve compensation. The goal is to change public perception that lawsuits and lawyers are malingerers. At the end of the day personal injury claims are important. They deter people and businesses from doing what they want without regard for others.
