Covid-19 has had a huge impact on every aspect of our economy and our lives. As with most people reading this post, our office has had to change the way we complete our day to day work. With social distancing and working from home, new challenges outside of the medical realm have been created to ensure that our clients receive the quality service that they have grown to expect. That same quality service that encourages our past clients to refer their friends and families that need accident attorneys to us.
But what impact will this all have on your accident injury claim? Will insurance adjusters and their companies be more compassionate during your time of need? Or will insurance companies use this time to further expand their policies and procedures that put profits over people?
You can only guess what outcome we will see and it is not where the insurance company gets more compassionate. We are already seeing some adjusters and their companies attempting to use the current situation to their advantage.
Here are a few things that you will want to watch out for when dealing with the insurance company after your accident:
- The government issued “stay at home” orders will immediately provide insurance companies another excuse why the accident is your own fault. Why were you out? Shouldn’t you have been at home protecting your family? We are not paying for you breaking the law.
- The insurance claims process will slow down. If you do not have a lawyer, the insurance company will use the current situation as an issue to drastically slow down your claim to put additional pressure on you and your finances. They will use every excuse they can come up with, including the idea that their staff has been reduced or their adjusters are now working from home and can’t process claims quickly enough. (Note, most adjusters worked from home before the pandemic.)
- Uncertainty leads to bad settlements. Insurance companies are going to be quick to offer low settlements because they assume that now more than ever, car accident victims want cash fast. Don’t let them fool you, they will never do anything to benefit you. Ultimately, the faster you settle, the lower the amount you collect and it may end in you never fully recovering from the injuries you have sustained or the bills that will follow.
What can you do if you become a car accident victim during this time?
Our firm is here to help. We know the tricks and deceitful tactics that insurance companies are going to try and use during this time. We deal with these same traps everyday and know they will only increase as times get tough for everyone. It is up to you to protect your family, now more than ever. Do not let the insurance companies take advantage of you during this time, because they will.
If you or a loved one have been in an auto accident reach out to our office immediately. Do not wait until later, do not worry about leaving your home, worry about what the insurance company is doing right not to decrease the value of your claim.
