Insurance Companies Want To Pay Out As Little As Possible
The costs associated with a serious injury are significant. There are hospital bills, prescription costs, doctors’ consultation fees and expenses associated with ongoing care. Those unable to return to their jobs will force an additional hardship in the form of lost wages. It is no surprise that many individuals who suffer injuries worry a great deal about their financial futures.
Making matters worse is the fact that insurance companies are quick to deprive injury victims of the compensation to which they’re entitled. After an auto accident or similar calamity, insurers are quick to challenge a victim’s claims – and will make every effort to deny a claim outright. Indeed, they use a number of strategies to bolster their efforts to pay out as little as possible.
At Schimmel & Parks, APLC, we can help you fight back. Drawing on more than 70 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys possess a thorough understanding of the tactics insurers employ to challenge and deny claims. And we know how to help our clients pursue the compensation they’re owed. We’ve obtained millions of dollars on behalf of the individuals we’ve represented. Based in Sherman Oaks, and serving throughout California, we’re ready to help you, too.
How Insurers Underpay Claims
There are several methods by which insurance companies aim to pay out as little as possible to claimants. These include:
- Lowball offers – After an accident, an insurance company representative will often arrive at the site of the injury – or sometimes even show up in the hospital – and offer the victim a lump sum of money for medical care. These offers may seem generous. But make no mistake, these payments will be inadequate, failing to take into account long-term needs and other concerns. This is why it’s important to work with an attorney who can assess your ongoing needs and pursue compensation for them.
- Monitoring social media activity – More and more, insurers monitor claimants’ social media profiles. They are looking for pictures and posts that indicate an individual may not be so injured as he or she claims to be. Courts consider such evidence seriously, and so it is crucial that injured parties be careful of what they post to social media. In most cases, it is best not to post anything at all while a case is pending.
- Hiring private investigators – In some situations, insurers will go so far as to hire a private investigator to keep tabs on a claimant. As with social media monitoring, the investigator will be on the lookout for any activity that can be used to challenge an individual’s claims of injury. This includes tasks like carrying groceries from one’s car to one’s house, or standing from one’s wheelchair to hug family members. By consulting with a lawyer, you can receive proper guidance on how to act should you fear such actions are being taken against you.
These are just a few of the tactics insurance companies use. To learn more, reach out to our firm today.
You can call us at 818-922-8544 or contact us online. Our legal team is always prepared to help.