Plus, the #1 Tip to Win Your Claim & Maximize Your Settlement
If you’ve been seriously injured or hurt, then what you do next is crucial to getting a fair settlement and making sure your injuries don’t leave you with a pile of debt.
One mistake is all it takes for you to be left with a mile-high stack of medical bills and no way to pay them.
Here, we'll reveal the top 3 secrets insurance companies don’t want you to know so that they can reduce their claims payouts and increase their profitability.
After all, insurance companies make their money by collecting more in premium (your monthly payments) than they pay out in claims (your medical bills.)
As a for-profit industry, their goal is to charge the highest monthly premium possible and pay out the smallest amount possible for claims. Corporate greed…
They rely on what you don’t know to make that happen.
The information below assumes you have a valid personal injury claim. The best advice in the world can not save you from a bad case.
Don't know if you have a valid case? Call us now to find out!
Secret #1
Insurance Adjusters may be friendly, but they aren’t your friend.
Insurance companies train their adjusters for hundreds of hours to learn negotiation and sales tactics used to build rapport and control the conversation. Leading you down a path designed to give you the lowest payout or outright deny your claim.
Going head to head with an insurance adjuster is like stepping in the ring with Mike Tyson with no formal boxing experience.
Listen, insurance adjusters aren’t inherently evil people. They’re just doing their job like everyone else. They’re trying to make a living and support their family. You should always be polite and courteous. But keep in mind you have competing interests.
You want a fair settlement that makes you whole again. trouble.This includes all the
compensation you’re entitled to under the law, and not just the cost of
your medical bills.
The insurance companies want to pay as little as possible as quickly as possible.
You know the part of the Miranda Rights where the cop says, “Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in the court of law?” Well, the same applies to anything you say to an insurance adjuster. Except they’re not required to tell you that.
In fact, they prey on you to be unsuspecting in order to charm you into saying things that later get taken out of context to reduce the amount of your settlement.
Here’s one example of a harmless conversation that could be used against you.
Insurance Adjuster: “Hi, I heard you’ve been involved in an accident, I’m so sorry. Are you OK?”
And your inclination is to respond “Yeah, I’m OK thank you.” Even though your wrist hurts every time you try to close your hand to make a fist, and you get a shooting pain up your spine every time you go to sit.
But we’re taught not to inconvenience people with our problems.
The only thing that the insurance adjuster is writing down is that you said you’re ok.
Insurance Adjuster: “Did you go to the hospital?”
Maybe you couldn’t go because you didn’t have health insurance. Or you’re a single parent who can’t find the time. Heck, maybe your boss threatened to fire you if you didn’t high tail it back to work.
It was NOT because the injuries didn’t warrant it. But the situation prohibited it.
So, they use that against you, too. They’ll say, “Well you didn’t go to the hospital so it must not have been that serious, but now you’re trying to game the system by saying you’re hurt to make a buck.”
The list goes on.
Tip: Don’t consent to a recorded statement unless you legally have to, and make sure you only answer the questions that you’re required to. Nothing more.
Secret #2
If the insurance company denies liability or makes a low settlement offer, you may still have a great case.
The insurance company wants to settle the case as quickly as possible.
Sometimes they do that by offering you a very small settlement amount. They might make you think if you don’t take it, you’ll get nothing at all.
Don’t expect the insurance company to volunteer everything you’re entitled to above and beyond your medical bills like pain and suffering and lost wages.
Or that their insured has other policies that can increase the potential amount you recover.
It’s also possible they may try to downplay your injuries or say they weren’t a result of the incident.
They might even deny liability completely.
Insurance companies can be very persuasive in making you feel helpless.
They’re going to make you fight for every last penny. Even when it’s rightfully yours.
So just because they try to minimize or outright deny your claim, doesn’t mean you don’t have a case.
It just means you have to prepare to fight for what’s yours.
Secret #3
Getting Medical Care May Be the Single Most Important Thing You Do!
There are two parts to this. Seeking medical attention immediately and following doctor’s orders for ongoing treatment.
Seek medical attention immediately
After an accident, your adrenaline is pumping and you may not even feel your injuries yet. Other times you may skip out on treatment due to the lack of health insurance, or other obligations like kids, work, etc…
The insurance company will use any delay in seeking treatment as a way to try and reduce your settlement and argue that your injuries were caused by something else.
Get checked out right away. Make sure you mention everything you feel, no matter how small, and make sure to tell the doctor how you were injured (i.e. in a car accident, a slip and fall, etc.). An extremely hurt back can mask the pain of an injured knee. If you put off seeking treatment or wait to mention it until a later visit, you’re giving the insurance company the upper hand to say your injuries weren’t caused by the accident.
Ongoing Treatment
It’s also important to find a doctor who specializes in treating accident victims. They’ll have a much better idea of how to deal with the specific tests and treatments accident victims often require. They will also know how to fully document the extent of your injuries so that you can recover damages for future medical bills as well as current.
It’s also important to follow your doctor’s orders and seek treatment consistently. Any gap in treatment will be used against you by the insurance company.
Failure to continue getting proper treatment may cause more serious long-term issues. Even if they were a result of the accident, you’ll have a hard time trying to recover your expenses because the insurance company will argue that your delay in receiving treatment is the cause of your injuries, not the accident itself.
#1 Tip for Winning Your Case & Maximizing Your Settlement
Be systematic and document EVERYTHING!
It’s important to keep a detailed log of events.
First, write down everything you remember about the incident. What happened leading up to the accident. What happened during the accident and right after? How did you feel before? How do you feel now?
Keep a daily log of how you’re feeling. Both mentally and physically.
Document any conversations you have with your doctor and any insurance company.
Keep records of all of your medical bills, prescriptions, and out-of-pocket costs for doctor’s office visits. Estimate your future medical claims and other out of pocket expenses due to the accident, including lost wages.
Make a plan and write it down. This will make it easier to stick to it.
Remember that the value of your claim may greatly exceed any costs associated with obtaining it, but only if you treat consistently and listen to your doctor’s advice! Write down your questions and the answers to them so you don’t forget them.
Always review your documentation before discussing your claim with anyone to make sure the facts are fresh in your mind to avoid misrepresenting yourself. Better yet, don’t speak to anyone about your claim other than your doctors until you’ve had time to speak to an attorney!
Make sure you get copies of witness statements, police reports, and photos that will help prove who was at fault.
There are a dozen or so more tricks the insurance companies have up their sleeves and hope that you’re unprepared for. To ensure that you’re prepared to WIN your case and receive the full amount you’re entitled to
