How Insurance Companies Handle Motorcycle Accident Claims
With all motorcycle accident claims, dealing with the aftermath can be tough – especially when you have to handle insurance companies that try to minimize their payouts.
Understanding the tactics they use and knowing how a lawyer can help you can make a huge difference in getting the compensation you deserve. As a lawyer who specializes in Memphis motorcycle accident claims, I’m here to guide you through the process.
Tactics Insurance Companies Use
Insurance companies thrive by keeping their payouts low, and they’ve built entire legal teams to help them. So when you file a motorcycle accident claim, you’re going up against their resources and tactics.
At our Memphis motorcycle firm, we come up against these companies all the time, and win. Here are the most common tactics we see:
Delaying Your Claim
Insurance companies often delay processing your claim, hoping you’ll become frustrated and accept a lower settlement.
For example, they might ask for unnecessary documents or repeatedly change your claim adjuster. And they might take unnecessary time to respond when asked.
These delays can cause financial stress, especially if you’re dealing with medical bills and repair costs and need the settlement to cover the costs.
Denying Liability
Another common tactic is to deny liability by claiming you were at fault for the accident.
They might argue you were speeding, not paying attention, or violating traffic laws. Sometimes they’ll even argue you caused the accident on purpose.
By shifting the blame to you, they try to reduce the amount they have to pay or avoid paying altogether.
Downplaying Your Injuries
Insurance adjusters may downplay the severity of your injuries to justify a lower settlement. They might argue that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim or that they were pre-existing conditions. They could also question the necessity of certain medical treatments.
Not only do they hope this will lower how much they have to pay – they may also use this tactic to wear you down and make you more emotional in a deposition.
Offering Quick, Low Settlements
After an accident, insurance companies often offer a quick, low settlement before you fully understand the extent of your injuries or damages. They hope you’ll accept the money without realizing your future medical costs and other expenses might be much higher.
You have to be careful with settlement offers, so you get the maximum you can for your injuries and damages.
Using Your Statements Against You
Be cautious about what you say to insurance adjusters. They may use your statements against you to minimize your claim. For example, if you say you’re “feeling okay” shortly after the accident, they might argue that your injuries aren’t severe.
For this reason, we always recommend clients not speak to insurance companies at all. If they call or have questions, they can speak with us instead.
How a Lawyer Can Help
Our attorneys know the insurance companies and their tactics inside and out. We make it our priority to protect you from their worst behavior. And we do this in a number of ways, including:
Negotiating on Your Behalf
We negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. A good lawyer understands the tactics insurers use and can counter them effectively.
With a lawyer handling the negotiations, you can focus on your recovery instead of dealing with the stress of the claims process.
Proving Liability
We also gather evidence to prove the other party was at fault. This can include:
- witness statements
- police reports
- traffic camera footage, and
- expert testimony.
By building a strong case, we can challenge the insurance company’s attempts to deny liability.
Documenting Your Injuries
We help ensure all your injuries are properly documented. To do this, we work with medical professionals to provide detailed reports reflecting the true extent of your injuries and the necessary treatments. We look at how it’s impacted your family life, work obligations, and ability to experience life compared to before the accident.
This helps counter any attempts by the insurance company to downplay your injuries.
Ensuring Fair Compensation
To help get you an appropriate offer, we calculate the full extent of your damages, including:
- medical bills
- lost wages
- pain and suffering, and
- future expenses.
Then we fight to ensure you receive a fair settlement that covers all your costs, not just the immediate ones.
Protecting Your Rights
Having a lawyer protects your rights throughout the motorcycle accident claims process. We handle all communications with the insurance company, which helps make sure nothing you say is used against you. And we advise you on the best steps to take to strengthen your claim.
Why Choose Me as Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Our team understands the challenges you face after a motorcycle accident. With years of experience dealing with insurance companies, we know how to navigate their tactics and secure the compensation you deserve.
Our attorneys make it our goal to take the burden off your shoulders and help you get back on your feet. You should focus on your own recovery.
Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of you. Reach out to me today for a free consultation. Together, we can fight for the fair compensation you deserve.