By Karl Truman, Louisville Personal Injury Attorney
The aftermath of a car wreck can leave you feeling isolated, overwhelmed and afraid. How will you keep your job if you can’t work? How will you pay for all the medical care you need for your injuries? These are just a couple of the hurdles facing accident victims.
As a personal injury attorney, I have been advocating for injured people for nearly three decades in Indiana and Kentucky. I know how frustrating an accident injury can be because, day after day, I see how these situations affect the lives of the people for whom I fight.
Most people aren’t prepared for dealing with an accident injury. Why would you be? You can’t be prepared for what will happen when you aren’t dealing with these issues every day, as I am. I have seen what can happen to accident victims, and it’s part of what drives me to work solely on the behalf of injured people. After an accident, insurance companies won’t be working to serve you – they’ll be working to serve themselves while doing the bare minimum for you and your family.
Be wary of insurance company tricks. Some of their tactics may include the following:
- The adjusters will try to get to you before you get to a lawyer. Insurance companies know that injured people who are represented by lawyers receive more money than people who do not have lawyers on their side. They will try to talk to you before you get a chance to speak with a lawyer.
- They will take their time investigating your case. If it isn’t in the insurance company’s interest to investigate your claim and accept responsibility, then they will delay the process as long as possible.
- They will do everything they can to get you to downplay your injury and admit fault. It’s not uncommon for the insurance adjuster from the other driver’s insurance company to act friendly and concerned toward an injury victim, but with the ultimate goal of getting you to do what they want you to do. You may even get a call from an adjuster, who may attempt to record your statement.
- They will work tirelessly to make as much profit as possible. Insurance companies exist to make a profit. Less money paid out for your claim benefits their bottom line. The insurance adjuster’s goal is to find a reason not to pay you.
- They will take advantage of the fact that you have limited knowledge about what your claim is worth. You may be able to receive significantly more compensation for your injury than you think you are entitled to. The insurance adjuster is going to try to get you to take the lowest settlement possible, or they may utilize other tactics to say you aren’t entitled to anything.
In the days and weeks following your injury, you can avoid getting taken advantage of. Don’t allow yourself to be forced or intimidated into doing anything you don’t want to do or signing anything you don’t want to sign. They know you have limited knowledge about the claims process, and they are going to do anything in their power to make the situation hurt the least for them. The truth can be skewed in a way to make you fearful of what will happen if you don’t do what the insurance adjuster is telling you to do. But remember this: Even if you don’t ultimately need an attorney, you have a right to speak to one before dealing with the other driver’s insurance company.
About Attorney Karl Truman
Karl Truman has been practicing law since 1987. He served for more than 28 years in the United States Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel, Armor Branch. He is a board-certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and is licensed to practice law in Indiana and Kentucky. For a free case evaluation, please call the Karl Truman Law Office at (502) 222-2222.