At Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P., when meeting with potential personal injury clients for the first time, we frequently witness the frustration and exasperation that these individuals feel. Often, this is directed at their efforts to work with the responsible party’s insurance company and the very real sense that they have hit a wall.
While there is a natural belief that the responsible party should make things right, insurance companies are in the business of money, not in the business of people. The answer to owners and to shareholders rather than to serving the interest of people who have been injured by their policyholders. Thus, insurance companies—through their investigators and adjusters—may engage in unfair tactics to save themselves money by paying victims as little as possible. Many of these tactics are meant to cause a delay.
When dealing with unrepresented injury victims, Insurance adjusters delay because it does not harm them to delay. In contrast to victims, the insurance companies are not staring at piling medical bills and lost wages. Thus, they may resort to:
- Not returning your calls. Insurance adjusters know that serious injuries can send victims into a financial spiral due to expensive medical bills and lost wages. The longer an insurance company ignores you, the worse this spiral becomes, thereby creating increasing desperation. So when a victim finally gets a hold of an adjuster, they may jump at a low-ball settlement offer.
- Sitting on your claim. A classic delay tactic is for insurance adjusters to state that they are investigating or processing your claim. The longer they hold out, the more desperate a victim becomes for financial relief. This increases their chances of a lower settlement.
- Misrepresenting coverage or denying liability. Insurance investigators and adjusters count on victims lacking knowledge and sophistication about their legal rights. Therefore, they will sometimes misrepresent the type or amount of coverage under the responsibly party’s policy. Some insurance companies will routinely deny that they are liable from the outset as a method of delay.
- Providing false hope. Some insurance adjuster will try to lull victims into a false sense of security by making it seem like they are on the same team, that the adjuster is looking out for the victim’s interests, or that a great settlement offer is on its way. Not only does this make the victim feel good about their prospects, but it also makes them feel like there is no need to contact a personal injury attorney to fight on their behalf.
Personal Injury Lawyers at Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P.
At Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman, L.L.P., we understand the unscrupulous tactics that some insurance companies use to take advantage of personal injury victims. We have decades of experience in standing up for our clients and force these companies to take our clients seriously. Our nationally recognized attorneys have obtained millions of dollars in damages for our clients and will tirelessly pursue maximum compensation for your claim. Call Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P. today at (775) 227-2280 to schedule a free case consultation or contact our office through our website.