As soon as a careless or negligent driver crashes into you, you’re thrown into a different world that you don’t want to be in. Now, you may be injured, in pain and missing work. You may also be dealing with your own auto insurer, the auto insurer of the person who hit you and your health care insurer. At times, it may seem like they’re all pointing their fingers at each other, and none of them seem to be interested in helping you. That’s when you need to contact a personal injury law team, and make an appointment for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Delay, deny and defend
Unfortunately, it has become a common practice for some insurance companies to delay payment of claims for as long as possible. By doing so, the claimant might get exhausted and settle for a lesser sum. There are other money saving advantages for the insurance company when the reserve on a claim sits in the anticipated loss column. As a result, the insurer will ultimately incur even less of a loss on the claim. Denial of claims even makes some people simply walk away. Defending the claim forces the claimant into litigation to get what he or she deserves. Delay, deny and defend has now unfortunately turned into a troubling tactic for some insurance companies. If you encounter delay, denial or unreasonable defense of a claim, it’s probably time to visit with an experienced personal injury attorney.
The statement to the insurer
Many insurers contact victims shortly after an accident for purposes of obtaining a recorded statement about what happened. There aren’t any laws that require you to give a statement under those circumstances, but you might get threatened with denial of your claim if you refuse to give a statement. That insurer wants your statement for purposes of its own when you’re giving it. Then, it may use it against you in the future. When that insurer wants a statement, it’s a good time first talk with an experienced personal injury attorney. You’ll be giving up rights that you might never get back if you give a statement. Rather than giving up those rights, invoke them, and call an experienced personal injury lawyer for a free consultation and case evaluation.
The statute of limitations
You might not worry about concluding a claim because depending on where you live, you have one to three years to file a lawsuit. Evidence can get lost or destroyed in that interim, and witnesses can disappear or pass away. When you retain an attorney early on, any necessary measures of protecting evidence and the statute of limitations are taken. You might even forget about the statute of limitations and let it run. That’s when you’ll be forever barred from proceeding further. An experienced legal team does not let things like that happen.
Proving liability can be complicated
To prove liability, you’re required to prove certain elements, and then you must prove that your injuries were directly and proximately caused by the crash. What will you do when an insurer disputes liability and your injuries from the start? Insurers are allowed to do anything that they can legally do to reduce what they’re required to pay in order to sustain or increase profits. When any of these things happen, it’s time to sit down and talk with a Chicago personal injury team.
The Lamber Goodnow team, together with our partner firms in Chicago, are an experienced and successful group of personal injury lawyers who have dedicated their careers to helping victims who have been injured as a result of the negligence of others. It’s never too early to see us after an accident. In fact, we recommend doing so as soon as possible. Don’t give the opposing insurer an opportunity to delay, deny and defend. Go on the offensive. Invoke your rights, and contact us right away after any accident. We have somebody available to talk with you 24 hours a day. Feel free to contact us right after any type of accident.
You don’t have to go it alone. The Lamber Goodnow personal injury law firm is here to help. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers never charge a fee, unless we win your case. Get a risk free consultation today.