Insurance Companies Rely on Tactics to Avoid Paying Accident Victims

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Kentucky, it’s likely that you will be contacted by an insurance company quickly – perhaps even before you’ve left the hospital. That’s because insurers want to settle injury claims quickly and for the lowest amount possible. They hope that your vulnerability during a stressful time will lead you to swiftly accept their settlement offer without question.

Insurance companies use a variety of tactics to keep injured people from getting the payouts they deserve. Here are some of the most common strategies:

• Denying the claim: It’s no big shock that insurers will try to deny your accident claim. A report from the American Association of Justice found that some of the biggest U.S. insurance companies actually rewarded employees who successfully denied claims and got rid of those who did not.
  
• Waiting until you die: Yes, you read that correctly. If denying the claim won’t work, then insurers will just delay a payout until you decide to give up. Some companies have gone so far as to wait until the oldest or most sickly pass away.
  
• Using insurance jargon: Using technical language to describe policies and requirements is a sure way to confuse even the savviest of consumers. Lawyers are guilty of it sometimes, too. If you’re overwhelmed by the lingo, be aware that many states have laws that require documents to be written in plain English. Always ask questions about what you don’t understand. But be advised that talking with a personal injury attorney can be the best way for you to make sure that you get the correct information, and that it’s not being hidden behind a veil of confusing jargon.
  
• “Befriending” the claimant: People respond to kindness. If you’ve been in an accident and injured, a sympathetic voice – regardless of who it is – can be all it takes for you to believe that you’re being treated ethically. That’s not necessarily the case.
  
• Take it to court:  Trials are expensive, and the insurance industry is wealthy. Insurance companies can afford to hire top-dollar defense attorneys to challenge your injury claim and rely on the fact that many people are reluctant to take on big business. That is why many injured people depend on personal injury lawyers who work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they get paid only when they win your case.