Tennessee law allows car accident victims to request compensation from the party that caused the accident that led to their injuries and losses. Victims can do this by filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. However, just because the law allows victims to demand settlement doesn’t guarantee they will get it.
When it comes to insurance claims, insurance companies employ different tactics to either offer you a lowball settlement or deny your claim. This article discusses the different things an insurance company will do to deny your car accident claim. Contact our Nashville car accident lawyers if you or a loved one suffer injuries and losses from an auto crash.
Common Things Insurance Companies Do To Deny Accident Claims
Car accident victims must remember that the at-fault party’s insurer is not their friend. They may seem approachable when they contact you. But that’s only to draw you in and get you to agree with their terms. They are only after their bottom line and paying you compensation affects that goal.
To ensure they don’t pay any settlement, they will do all they can to deny your claim. Below, we discuss some of the things insurance companies do to deny car accident claims.
Lie About Witness Statements
Insurers know the value of witnesses after an accident, as well as the weight of their statements. Hence they may lie about the number of witnesses or what they testified about the accident. If you have not been able to speak with the witnesses yourself due to being hospitalized, the insurance company will capitalize on this fact.
For example, the insurance adjuster may say two witnesses said you were at fault or partially at fault for the crash. However, they are willing to strike a deal if you don’t drag things out since they feel sympathetic for your situation. The problem with this is that there may have been no witnesses to the car accident.
If there were, their statement might be different, or the insurance adjuster may not have spoken to them. But you are unaware of this fact, might even feel grateful they are willing to compensate you, no matter how small. Always ask for proof whenever the insurance company provides information on something you are not privy to. If they fail to do so, reject any conclusion or offer they give.
Lie About Paperwork, Facts, and the Law
Insurance companies may lie about paperwork to deny your claim. For instance, they may make you believe that the at-fault driver’s coverage is not enough to cover your injuries and property damage. The aim is to get you to take the lesser amount and forfeit future claims.
Insurance adjusters may also lie about the crash facts and the law. They believe you know little or nothing about personal injury law and will take what they say at face value. Lying about things like this happens regularly in the insurance industry. Thus, question whatever the insurer tells you and hire a Nashville personal injury lawyer.
Request for Your Recorded Statement Immediately After the Accident
After a car accident, the fault party’s insurer or your insurer will ask to give a recorded statement. They may tell you that it would help them fast-track your claim and pay your compensation. Don’t buy this story. Insurance adjusters know fully well that you are disoriented and may still be in shock after the crash.
As such, they strike while the iron is hot to get you to make a mistake and say something that would jeopardize your claim. Consequently, they will use such a statement to deny you compensation. Therefore, don’t give a recorded statement to an insurance provider without your attorney. If they press you for one, keep declining politely until you speak with your attorney.
Ask You to Sign a HIPAA Release
Under the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), no one can view your health records unless you authorize them. Hence, an insurance company will not have access to them unless you sign a HIPAA release. Indeed, you need to prove your injuries to get a settlement. But that doesn’t mean that insurance companies can view your medical record. If you let them view these records, they can claim your injury pre-existed the accident or would not have been quite severe if not for an existing condition.
Let Nashville Car Accident Lawyers Help You!
Dealing with insurance companies while recovering from your injuries is not easy. So you should let experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers take the burden off you. Contact us today to learn how we can help you get maximum compensation. We offer free case reviews.