How Can a Lawyer Help With an Injury Insurance Claim?

Thursday, November 11, 2021

How Can a Lawyer Help With an Injury Insurance Claim?

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

Some of the strictest laws in Illinois are those regarding required insurance coverage. The law sets out mandatory auto insurance for all drivers, as well as other types of required coverage for properties, businesses, and other scenarios. The point of this insurance is to provide coverage should something go wrong – and this includes someone being injured. This means that if someone else causes you injuries in an accident, there should be coverage available for your losses. 

Unfortunately, even if there is insurance coverage, it can be an uphill battle trying to get the insurance benefits you deserve. It is important to contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer who can assist you with the insurance process.

Common Challenges of Unrepresented Claimants

It can be tempting for someone to handle their own insurance claim. After all, isn’t the point of insurance to pay out on claims when necessary? Many people go into the process expecting a fairly straightforward claim and payment, but they often experience something much different than they expect.

Insurance companies are businesses, and like any other business, they operate to make profits. Revenue comes in from insurance policy premiums, and then insurers aim to minimize expenses – which are the benefits paid out to claimants. Insurance companies train their adjusters to limit payments on claims as much as possible, and this is much easier to do when a claimant is not represented by a personal injury attorney.

For example, if a car accident victim files a claim against the negligent driver’s insurance, the adjuster and investigators might:

1. Contact the victim and try to get them to make a recorded statement, all while asking questions aimed at getting the victims to say something to hurt their claim.
2. Offer a quick settlement that is far too low, knowing that the victim has bills piling up and might accept far less than they deserve.
3. Tell the claimant there is no need for an attorney, and that a lawyer will only cost them more.
4. Challenge liability, the severity of injuries, or other aspects of the claim to reduce or deny a settlement offer.

If someone accepts a settlement offer that is inadequate, there is not much they can do in the future to make the situation right.

The Legal Help You Need

Personal injury lawyers have handled many insurance claims and know the tactics that insurers use very well. Adjusters usually know that when a lawyer is involved, they cannot use the same tricks they usually do. A lawyer can:

1. Calculate full past and future damages to know what a fair settlement amount should be.
2. Handle all communications to ensure nothing wrong gets said to an adjuster.
3. Negotiate for a higher amount when an offer is too low.
4. Threaten litigation in civil court or file a lawsuit if the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer.

Consult with a Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer

Anyone who has an injury insurance claim in the Chicago area should have Malman Law on their side. Contact the firm for a free case evaluation today.