After you’re in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you might assume that it’s easy to file an insurance car accident claim in St. Louis. Most people think insurance companies are on their sides and are there to do what’s best for them, especially when they aren’t at fault for the accident.
The unfortunate reality is that this isn’t always the case. These companies can be sneaky and there are tactics they use to try to devalue or deny valid claims. Here’s what this can look like:
Early Contact and Recorded Statements
Insurance companies often reach out to car accident victims immediately after a crash. They might sound friendly and like they’re eager to help you, but one reason for this early contact is to obtain a recorded statement as soon as possible, often before you’ve even had a chance to see all the doctors or talk to a lawyer.
Agreeing to this statement can be risky. Anything you say in these statements can later be used against you. Even innocent mistakes or speaking about injuries that haven’t fully emerged yet can lead to inconsistent statements, which gives them a reason to deny your claim.
Delaying the Claims Process
Another tactic often used by insurance companies is simply stalling. They may repeatedly request additional or duplicate paperwork, ask for records that have already been provided, or say they need more time to investigate. Adjusters sometimes take days or weeks to respond to questions and miss agreed-upon deadlines, leaving you and your family in limbo when you need support most.
Unfortunately, these delays can pressure accident victims into settling for less out of frustration or because you just want to be done. Sometimes, companies hope you’ll just give up altogether and they won’t have to pay you anything.
Questioning The Severity of Your Injuries
Soft tissue injuries, like strains, whiplash, or bruising, are common after car accidents. Insurance companies downplay these by labeling them as minor, and often argue that your medical expenses and other losses shouldn’t be as high in these cases. In other cases, they’ll point to any small gaps in treatment to argue that your injuries weren’t that serious.
This could be pointing out a missed physical therapy or follow-up doctor’s appointment. These strategies are all aimed at reducing or denying what they otherwise owe under your claim.
Disputing Medical Treatment
After a claim is filed, insurance companies may second-guess the care your doctor recommends. They might argue that some treatments or tests aren’t really needed, and then deny covering them.
Often, the insurer will order a review from a doctor in their own network, who never meets you in person but only looks at paperwork. These insurer-chosen medical reviewers may nearly always side with minimizing the amount of care you’re approved for. As a result, bills for real, necessary treatment end up being contested.
Shifting or Exaggerating Fault
Another way insurance companies limit what they owe is by arguing comparative negligence, meaning you’re at least somewhat responsible for your own accident and injuries. Missouri car accident claims are governed by pure comparative negligence, which means victims can still recover damages if they’re partially at fault, but their damages will be reduced proportionately by their percentage of liability.
If you made a small mistake or didn’t do everything perfectly, insurers may use a shared fault argument to try to reduce what they pay you.
Using Low Initial Settlement Offers
It’s common for insurance companies to offer quick, low settlement offers. These can be tempting for someone who is facing medical expenses and isn’t able to work, but these are almost always going to be lower than what your claim might really be worth. Be careful about accepting these offers or signing anything at this point. Once you accept an offer, there’s no going back for more money, even if more injuries arise later on.
We all hope that if we get into a car accident, our insurance coverage will help us in these difficult moments. While that sometimes works out the way it should, it isn’t always easy. If you’re having trouble with your St. Louis car accident claim or just want some extra support, reach out to our team today to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer at Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC today.