Fighting Bad Faith Tactics By Insurance Companies After Auto Accidents

Louisiana Auto Accident Lawyers Who Fight Bad Faith Tactics By Insurance Companies After Auto Accidents

Being the victim in any type of vehicle accident can feel like it spins your entire life upside down – from suffering debilitating injuries and missing work to the financial struggles that you may experience. These complicated events are often resolved by insurance companies.

It’s worth remembering that while insurance companies may start out sounding like their intentions are to do their best to help you, they are for-profit companies. Maintaining their profits can mean paying out as little as possible to accident victims, no matter how obvious is it who is at fault. An insurance company’s main goal is to save money – they may deny your claim or misconstrue your words to assign fault to you and avoid a payout.

After suffering a serious injury in a car accident, if you or a loved one is facing bad faith tactics by an insurance company, contact the experienced Lafayette car accident lawyers at Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards to take over the communications with the insurance carrier. Our lawyers will communicate with the insurance company, determine if the company is acting in bad faith and identify the best methods to proceed through any issue.

What Are Bad Faith Tactics by Insurance Companies?

Insurance companies have trained negotiators who take over your case after an accident. If they do not want to offer a full settlement for a valid claim, they may use certain strategies to get out of paying the entire amount, even if the policy explains how much you should receive. These tactics become more distressing when victims have bills to pay and are unable to work.

Insurance companies could start by delaying offers, delaying the negotiation or delay sending the payment. It forces the victim to pay for medical bills and repairs on the vehicle, while they are paying their daily living expenses. Delays force victims to become more desperate and accept any offer to resolve the matter.

In a situation where an insurance carrier’s client has caused the accident, the carrier may only investigate a few issues involved in the accident to determine how much compensation to offer based on these limited factors. A thorough investigation would give a complete picture of the accident, a proper value of the damages and a reasonable and complete settlement offer. Failing to conduct a thorough investigation is another indication of an insurer acting in bad faith. Our lawyers can help you.

After a car accident, insurance carriers will send an adjuster to evaluate the situation and determine how much money the company will offer. This can lead to a low offer, one substantially less than what is necessary to cover your damages and a full recovery.

The adjuster may pressure you to give a recorded or written statement – or ask you to sign documents or waivers. These actions are not necessary to process an insurance claim. Some of these documents can include waiving your right to sue in the future or pursue more compensation based on the claim. Insurance adjusters may request a medical authorization form to acquire your personal medical details. A medical authorization form can include permission for access to:

  • Medical records from all medical professionals you have visited
  • Information regarding previous injuries, conditions and illnesses
  • Symptoms and treatment from prior incidents or previous accidents
  • Identification of any pre-existing injuries

Giving A Recorded Statement

Shortly after an accident, an insurance adjuster will contact you, and they will often request a recorded statement. With this statement, insurance companies could:

  • Use your words against you
  • Turn the story to fit the insurance settlement offer
  • Misconstrue details
  • Deny or devalue the claim
  • Apply the details of the statement to assign fault to you  

After a car accident with an injury, damage to your property and the trauma that follows, you need the support and assistance that our Louisiana auto accident lawyers bring. Our experienced lawyers will explain what bad faith tactics insurance companies may use. Our firm will investigate your accident, determine which factors apply and pursue the highest compensation available for your claim. We work on a contingency fee agreement, so there are never any legal fees unless we are successful with your case.  

Rear-End Accident Misconceptions

Many mistakenly believe that a rear-end accident is always the fault of the driver in the rear. While this is often the case, it is not always so. The driver in front could be responsible if a rear-end collision occurs due to his or her negligence, such as:

  • Speeding
  • Switching lanes at an unsafe distance
  • Unnecessarily slamming their brakes

No matter how straightforward your situation seems, having experienced legal representation is in your best interest if you have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault. Our skilled car accident lawyers can guide you through the process of filing an insurance claim, pursuing a fair settlement or taking your case to court, if necessary, to fight for fair compensation.

The Louisiana car accident lawyers of Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards will be extremely helpful in valuing your claim, so you are fairly compensated for your losses. Insurance companies do not necessarily offer fair settlements while our attorneys will consider all aspects to determine the right amount of compensation for your damages. We will fight to safeguard your best interests and seek the maximum compensation you need for your medical bills, lost wages and any other damages.

The lawyers at Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards have decades of experience in multiple practice areas of personal injury law, including maritime law, construction accidents, offshore accidents, car accidents, big truck accidents, medical malpractice, premises liability and more. We can answer specific questions about your case and tell you more about our firm’s experience with personal injury cases like yours in a free consultation.

An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Will Help Your Case

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Contact Our Lafayette Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyers Whenever You Have An Issue

Our award-winning lawyers have helped people injured in accidents across Louisiana, including Lafayette, Lake Charles, Opelousas, Morgan City, Franklin, Jennings and New Iberia. We treat our clients like family. Call us today at 337-291-HURT.

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