After a Car Accident, You’re Not in “Good Hands” With the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
If singing a little “Like a good neighbor…” jingle was all it took to get an insurance company to magically appear with a check after one of its drivers hit and injured you, car accident attorneys wouldn’t have much to do.
But it takes a lot more than a jingle to get auto insurance companies to pay up.
After you’ve been in an accident with another vehicle, you will eventually be in contact with the other driver’s insurance company. But it won’t be “Flo” calling you with some helpful advice, and that won’t be a friendly gecko on the other end of the line trying to get you your compensation.
You’ll be speaking with an insurance company lawyer or claims adjuster who has only one goal: to pay you as little as possible or nothing at all. Insurance companies aren’t good neighbors, and they aren’t on your side. They are businesses focused on making profits, and every dime they pay out in claims is a dollar out of their shareholders’ pockets.
The other driver’s insurance company may deny your claim altogether, blaming you for the accident and your injuries instead of their own insured. Even if they do offer you some money, rest assured it will be an amount significantly less than you are entitled to. The insurance company knows that when they are speaking to an injury victim who isn’t represented by an experienced personal injury lawyer, they are speaking with someone who may not know what their rights are, how strong their case is, or what the value of their claim is. Knowing that the injured party needs the money, they will try to convince the victim to take whatever they offer so they can get out on the cheap. When you have medical bills and are missing work, that money may be very tempting.
However, if the insurance company knows they have to deal with an experienced car accident lawyer who understands how they operate, they won’t get off so easily. A good personal injury lawyer will know the tactics they use to try to settle claims quickly, and know how to push back.
Once the insurer realizes that they can’t just give the money and run and understand that they are in for a lengthy and hard-fought battle against a lawyer who is prepared to take the case to trial, the cost and expense to them of such a process and the possibility that a jury may hit them hard may increase the likelihood that they will make a significantly higher settlement offer.
You’re entitled to compensation after you’ve been injured by another driver’s negligence. But if you speak with the other driver’s insurer before you speak with a personal injury lawyer, there’s a good chance that you could be leaving a substantial amount of that compensation behind.
Attorney Robert Greening of GreeningLaw, P.C. in Dallas provides experienced and aggressive personal injury representation for those hurt in car accidents or by other acts of negligence. Please give us a call at (972) 934-8900 or fill out our online form to arrange for your free initial consultation.