Beware of Insurance Company Offers to Settle

Insurance companies have gotten more aggressive in recent years in trying to limit the money that they pay out on automobile injury claims. These companies are under great pressure from Wall Street to improve their bottom line, which for them means paying less for claims. Their goal is to get injury victims to settle for a small amount of money immediately after they are injured. They do not want the victim to have time to realize how injured he or she really is, or to have time to retain an attorney to help them. The insurance companies know that once an attorney is involved, the cost of their claim is likely to go up. These insurance company tactics have been documented by major news outlets. Click Here.

The offer usually goes something like this. Within twenty four hours after a claim is reported, the claims representative will contact the victim to offer that victim a small amount of money. I have even known accident victims who were contacted while they were still in the Emergency Room. The money does not come without a cost. The claims agent will ask the victim to sign a release in which the victim forever surrenders his or her rights to be adequately compensated for their injuries.

Many accident victims are unaware in the first few hours or days after an accident of how badly they can be injured. The symptoms from an injury will typically take one to several days to appear. Even with proper care from a physician, an auto accident victim may not know the true extent of his or her injuries until several weeks after the injury.

The auto insurance companies would like for you to make a settlement before you know the true extent of your injuries. They certainly would like for you to make a settlement before you have had the chance to discuss your case with an attorney. They know that a good attorney can make the amount they have to pay on a claim significantly larger. Kevin L. Hoffkins is an attorney with extensive experience in dealing with insurance companies. He will help you get what you really deserve for your injuries.