As a Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa personal injury law firm, we communicate with insurance companies daily and keep track of their practices to protect our clients. Over the years, we’ve observed insurance practices that could interfere with accident victims’ fair recoveries.
Quick Offers Typically Don’t Favor Accident Victims
Insurance company settlement offers that come within days or weeks of an accident typically favor the insurance company. The insurance company wants you to settle before you know the extent of your medical bills, how long you will be out of work, and how the accident may impact your future. Additionally, the insurance company wants you to settle before you can retain a personal injury attorney who will advise you of your rights and fair recovery.
In past years, our Madison law office encountered this practice with the Progressive Group of Insurance Companies. For example, within weeks of their accidents, Progressive:
- Called a woman who was hurt in an accident and offered her $500 for her inconvenience plus medical expenses. She wisely rejected the offer.
- Visited a man at his home after he was hurt in an accident with someone insured by Progressive. The man settled his property damage claim within a few days and a Progressive representative came to his home to deliver his check. The man was offered $500 for his inconvenience. He declined the offer, and Progressive increased the offer to $1,000, which the man also declined. The man demanded $2,500, but the representative stated he couldn’t give him that amount, instead proposing they increase their lowball offer to $1,250. Again, the man refused and ultimately hired our office to pursue his claim for bodily injuries.
- Contacted a man in the hospital ICU the day after a motorcycle accident. The Progressive representative advised the man’s son to run all sorts of errands, such as taking pictures and finding out what personal property was damaged in the accident, instead of spending time in the ICU with his father. The family contacted our motorcycle accident lawyers for representation.
The insurance company may give you a very short amount of time to accept their offer, and you may feel pressured to accept or risk getting nothing.
Once You Accept a Settlement You Won’t Make a Future Recovery
Accepting an early and quick settlement may prevent you from ever pursuing an additional recovery for your accident injuries. The settlement terms will likely include a waiver of any future legal action. Accordingly, we encourage you to be aware of the dangers posed by insurance companies seeking quick settlements throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa and to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer before it’s too late.
Let Your Personal Injury Lawyer Talk to the Insurance Company
Our accident attorneys know the games insurance companies play. Anything that you say to the insurance company may be misconstrued and used against you.
However, if you are represented by counsel, you do not need to talk to the insurance adjuster directly. You can avoid potentially costly mistakes and the stress of talking to someone who wants to pay you less than you deserve for your accident injuries.
Our experienced Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa personal injury lawyers will fight for your full recovery of past, current, and future:
- Medical costs
- Lost income
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
- Other accident damages
Insurance companies know that we mean business, and they are often willing to settle our client’s claims fairly. They know that we always prepare for trial and will not hesitate to go to court if necessary to protect your recovery.
We encourage you to learn more today by contacting us for a free, no-obligation consultation in any of our 11 Midwest law offices, your home or hospital room, or by phone or video conference. We can answer your immediate questions about dealing with insurers and talk about how to protect your rights and fair recovery.
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