Truck accident victims tend to receive a lot of sympathy in the aftermath of their wreck. A lot of this care and attention comes from loved ones, but sometimes even truckers, truck companies, and their insurance providers appear to really care about victims and their recoveries. Don’t be fooled by these tactics implemented by those who are responsible for your injuries. Instead, it’s important as you move forward with your case that you remember that truckers, their employers, and their insurance companies are not your friend.
Insurance companies and their workers may seem friendly enough. After all, in a lot of cases they end up offering settlements to injured individuals. So, why shouldn’t they be trusted? Here are just a few reasons:
- Insurance companies seek profits: Insurance companies are businesses, some of which are beholden to stockholders. As a result, their number one goal is to earn a profit. If they were to pay out what every injured driver deserves, then their profits would decrease, and their stock prices would take a hit. Therefore, they’re motivated to pay you as little as possible, regardless of what they say.
- Insurance adjusters are listening closely: Insurance adjusters might seem reassuring and understanding, but they’re going to use anything they can against you so that your claim payout can be reduced or eliminated altogether. So, be careful of what you say to these workers and make sure that you clarify any confusing questions that otherwise may trick you into saying something that you didn’t mean.
- Insurance companies are represented by sly attorneys: Insurance companies usually have a whole team of legal professionals on their side. These attorneys are experienced in every facet of personal injury and insurance defense law, which means that they know how to deploy negotiation tactics aimed at tricking you into a settlement that isn’t in your best interests. They might make statements like “this is our final offer” or “we can’t go any higher than this amount,” but these attorneys are usually blowing smoke to try to get you to commit to a lower payment.
- Insurance companies don’t trust you: Despite what you say, insurance companies are going to scrutinize every aspect of your claim to look for arguments that support their position. This means that they may question the time it took you to seek medical treatment or whether certain treatments were necessary, and they’ll definitely question whether you were partially at fault for the accident. Be prepared for them to take things out of context and blow issues out of proportion.
- An insurance company may put you under surveillance: If your claim is serious enough, the insurance company may hire an investigator to follow you around to see if your injuries are as severe as you’ve claimed them to be. Again, they’re looking for any possible out, so be clear and succinct in your statements to them and make sure that your statements are in line with the harm that has actually been caused to you.
Have an ally on your side when dealing with an insurance company
As worrisome as all of this may be, you should take comfort knowing that you can have an advocate on your side to help you cut through all the illusions that an insurance company puts in front of you. By working with one of these legal professionals, you may be able to better position your claim for success so that you can recover the amount that you need and deserve after your serious truck accident.