Getting fair compensation after someone injures you in a car crash is never a given. The other party and their insurer will do their best to try to blame you for the incident, at least partly.
Insurers do not like paying what they should because it hurts their profits. Therefore, they train their staff to find ways to reduce payments or avoid them altogether. The following mistakes could help them do this.
1. Admitting fault
Never apologize for a car crash. Never tell the other party, their insurer or even the police what you think you did wrong. Percentage of fault is important in claims, so don’t make it easy for the insurer to attribute a higher percentage to you than you actually bear.
2. Posting on social media
Insurance companies often scour claimants’ social media accounts to look for anything they could use against them. For example, you post a photo of your brother whirling you around in the air at your graduation a few weeks after the crash. He hadn’t seen you for months, rushed in and picked you up off the ground. He’d forgotten you’d had a car crash and injured your neck. The insurer sees it and uses it to claim your neck injury is not as bad as you say in a bid to reduce how much it must pay you.
3. Accepting an early settlement
You might be grateful when the insurer calls you with a settlement offer. However, they are looking after themselves — not you. It’s likely far below what they should pay you. Once you accept, you won’t be able to claim more, even if you discover your injuries will cost you much more than you thought.
Having experienced legal guidance can help you navigate the tricky path toward getting the compensation you deserve.