Tips for Dealing With Insurance Companies After an Injury

Insurance companies exist to make profits, so your compensation is never their top priority. Instead, despite their glossy ads and compassionate tones, insurance companies hire adjusters whose jobs exist solely to find ways to underestimate claims or deny them completely.

Making an injury claim can be a challenging process, and navigating a claim while you’re recovering from an injury is difficult. Insurance company representatives may take advantage of your distress and protect their profits at your expense. It’s always best to hire an experienced attorney and direct all communications with an insurance company to your lawyer. Understanding common profit-protecting tactics used by insurance companies and how to proactively defend against them can help maximize compensation for your damages, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Understanding Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Law

Florida is one of only 12 states with no-fault insurance laws requiring accident victims to file claims against their own insurance companies regardless of fault. Florida requires all drivers to carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. An injury victim’s medical insurance must provide coverage for expenses beyond $10,000. Only in circumstances involving catastrophic injuries can Florida drivers file claims against the insurance company of the party at fault in the accident. Catastrophic injuries include those that leave victims with disabilities, amputations, or disfigurement.

After an accident, you must inform your insurance company. It’s always best to hire an attorney to handle all communications with insurance companies in order to avoid common pitfalls.

Avoiding Common Insurance Company Tactics After an Injury

Insurance companies use specific methods to undervalue injury claims or deny them completely. Without an attorney, it’s common to fall into these traps:

• Talking on a recorded line with an insurance company representative who later uses your words out of context against you
• Allowing insurance adjusters access to your medical records so they review more than your accident-related injury and instead scour your medical history to seek pre-existing conditions or previous injuries to claim as the true cause of your pain
• Accepting an early settlement offer before you know the true extent of your damages in exchange for signing away your right to follow a lawsuit
• Allowing an insurance company to delay processing a claim until you’re willing to accept a low settlement or the statute of limitations for a lawsuit passes
• Accepting an insurance company’s assertion that your doctor’s recommended treatment isn’t necessary for your injury

Instead of falling into these common insurance company pitfalls, it’s best to direct all communication with insurance companies to your Florida personal injury attorney.

Be Proactive to Maximize Your Compensation After an Injury

Your communications to your insurance company or that of the party at fault should take place through your lawyer, but taking specific organized steps after an accident can help maximize the compensation you recover for your damages. After your accident, do the following:

• Take photos of the accident scene and any visible injuries
• Ask for a copy of the police report
• Have a complete medical evaluation and tell your provider about all of your symptoms
• Ask for a detailed medical report including your prognosis
• Follow your doctor’s instructions
• Keep copies of your medical bills and track your lost wages
• Keep a journal documenting your pain, medical procedures, and the impact of your injuries on your daily routine

By documenting the economic and non-economic impacts of an injury on your life, it’s easier to demonstrate these damages to an insurance company. This helps your attorney to draft a compelling demand letter and strongly negotiate an ample settlement.

The personal injury attorneys at Shapiro | Delgado | Hofmann will work diligently on your claim and protect your rights and best interests throughout the process. Contact the personal injury attorneys in Sarasota and Bradenton today. By proactively following helpful tips for dealing with insurance companies after an injury you can maximize your compensation and streamline the process for a more seamless economic recovery.