
- February 4, 2025
- Attorney David Mann
- Car Accidents
You have just pulled out of your driveway and onto the street when another car comes speeding up behind you and crashes into the back of your car, causing you to sustain multiple severe injuries. After a few days, you get a call from the other driver’s insurance company. They offer you a settlement amount, and the amount is in the 6 digits. You really could use the money, but should you take the deal?
The answer is no. Insurance companies are in the business of making money and are not looking after your well-being. They will do whatever it takes to settle a car accident case for less than it is worth. They hope you will accept a settlement if they wave a large check in front of you. The truth is, your case may be worth more than what they are offering. They just want your claim to disappear.
In this blog post, we will discuss the common tricks used by insurance companies to pay out claims for less than they are worth. In other words, don’t fall for these insurance company tricks after a Macon car accident.
Common Insurance Company Tricks
There are many tricks insurance companies use to pay out claims for less than they are worth. Some of the more common ways include:
- Downplaying Injuries – The more severe your injuries, the more money, theoretically, you could receive in compensation. Thus, insurance companies will attempt to downplay the extent of your injuries to pay out less in a settlement. In order to counter this tactic, it is important to attend all scheduled medical appointments and document your injuries, with either pictures, videos, or even daily journal entries.
- Quick Settlement Offers – As we touched on in the introduction, insurance companies make quick settlement offers to accident victims, thinking they will jump at the chance to get any type of payout. These quick settlement offers will usually be less than your case is worth and may not be enough to cover your medical bills and lost wages, and they may not take into account your pain and suffering.
- Recorded Statements – Insurance companies will call the accident victims and ask certain questions to elicit answers that benefit them. They will then use those statements against the claimant to pay out smaller settlements. It is important to be wary when speaking with insurance companies after a car accident. The less you say, the better.
- Blaming the Victim – Insurance companies do not want to pay out claims, or they want to settle claims for less than they are worth. They will try to shift the blame for the car accident onto the victim. In order to fight against victim blaming, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible. Take pictures and videos of the accident scene, speak to eyewitnesses, and obtain a police report.
- Delaying Tactics – Insurance companies will delay settlement negotiations and trial procedures to frustrate you. They know you are waiting patiently for compensation and delay action in order to present you with a low settlement amount. They think your frustration will lead you to give up and accept any offer put forward. We tell our clients to not get frustrated and we encourage patience. Your taking a settlement offer out of pure frustration is exactly what the insurance companies want.
How to Protect Yourself
We understand that dealing with insurance companies can be stressful and frustrating. There are methods you can use to protect yourself from their tactics:
- Gather Evidence – We have discussed this before, but it is important to reiterate the importance of gathering as much evidence as possible, like taking pictures and videos of the accident scene and your injuries.
- Keep Detailed Records – Make sure you have organized, detailed records of all aspects of your claim. The more organized you are, the easier you make your attorney’s job in defending your rights.
- Don’t Admit Fault – Never tell anyone, especially the other driver or the insurance companies, that the accident was your fault. Admitting fault could hurt your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
- Consult a Lawyer Early – You should speak to a lawyer as soon as possible after your injury. The earlier your lawyer starts the process of filing a claim, the sooner you might be compensated for your injuries.
How a Macon Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
You should not try to negotiate a personal injury settlement on your own. The insurance companies hire top-notch lawyers to defend claims, and you should be armed with a lawyer, too. A Macon car accident lawyer will:
- Level the Playing Field – Veteran personal injury attorneys are used to dealing with insurance companies. Let them handle the heavy lifting.
- Protect Your Rights – A knowledgeable Macon car accident attorney will fight the insurance companies and will work hard to get you the compensation you deserve.
- Handle Legal Complexities – Personal injury claims can be complex, with many issues up in the air at once. Attorneys can handle complex issues with their special knowledge of Georgia negligence law and insurance laws.
- Provide Peace of Mind – It is important to leave the legal matters of your claim to the experts. You should focus on recovering from your injuries while a Macon car accident attorney fights for your rights.
Contact Our Macon Car Accident Attorneys Today
It is stressful enough to be involved in a car accident. It is worse to be taken advantage of by insurance companies. We hope this blog post helped you to never fall for these insurance company tricks after a Macon car accident.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Macon, give the Mann Law Firm a call today at (478) 742-3381. We offer free consultations, and we don’t collect a fee from you unless you win compensation for your injuries. So, call us today. At the Mann Law Firm, you always come first.