If you’ve ever had a personal injury claim with an insurance company, you know that getting fair compensation for your expenses and injuries can be an uphill battle -- a steep uphill battle.
State Farm, one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, is often the insurance company on the top of that mountain, shooting you down again and again. In this post, we will explore the tactics that State Farm and other insurance companies often employ, the difficulties claimants face, and the necessity of legal representation to achieve fair settlements.
Insurance Company Tactics
State Farm is in the business of making a profit. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that until the profits become more important than the customers or people who have been injured by their customers. Unfortunately, that happens all too often with State Farm. As a result, they employ tactics that aim to minimize payouts, delay settlements, and even deny valid claims.
Delay and Deny Tactics:
Insurance companies sometimes employ delay tactics to pressure claimants into accepting less than they deserve. Delays can be caused by the company requesting excessive documentation, conducting lengthy investigations, or postponing negotiations.
Denying valid claims is another tactic used to avoid payouts. State Farm, like other insurers, has denied thousands upon thousands of valid claims, causing claimants to file unnecessary lawsuits, incur unnecessary expenses, and go through months and years of litigation.
Lowball Offers:
Insurance companies, and State Farm in particular, initially offer low settlement amounts, far less than the reasonable value of a claim, hoping claimants will either accept out of desperation or pure ignorance. Unfortunately, victims who settle for these unfair amounts are left with outstanding medical expenses, other bills, and no funds to cover their injuries or other damages.
Unfair Settlement Practices:
State Farm and other insurance companies use aggressive negotiation tactics and exploit the inexperience of claimants to pressure them into settling for less than they deserve. They also pay thousands of dollars to lawyers and doctors to cast shade on valid claims, to attack the injured party, to claim that the injured party is lying or exaggerating, or to suggest that it’s really something else that caused the injury, not the rear-end car crash.
State Farm as a Bad Actor
State Farm is one of the largest insurance providers in the United States, with a significant market share. This means that they have leverage when it comes to handling claims. They have millions of customers paying monthly premiums. And they have calculated that they can keep the millions of dollars flowing in every month by denying valid claims and settling for unfair amounts. Sure, they might get sued by a customer or someone injured by one of their customers every once in a while (and some of those lawsuits have led to very large multi-million dollar verdicts), but the millions they’ve kept at the expense of the injured outweighs the risks of an occasional lawsuit.
The Need for Legal Representation
Given the uphill battle when dealing with State Farm and other insurance companies, it's no surprise that many claimants turn to personal injury attorneys. Legal representation is often crucial in helping individuals secure fair settlements and fight against the tactics employed by insurance companies. Here are some reasons why legal representation is essential:
Navigating the Legal System: Personal injury attorneys are well-versed in the legal process and can guide claimants through the complexities of filing lawsuits and navigating the court system.
Negotiation Skills: Attorneys can negotiate on behalf of claimants, ensuring they receive a fair settlement that covers their damages adequately.
Pressure on Insurance Companies: Having legal representation can put pressure on insurance companies to take claims seriously, as they know that claimants have the support of experienced legal professionals.
Access to Resources: Attorneys have access to resources such as medical experts and investigators, which can strengthen a claimant's case.
Dealing with insurance companies like State Farm can be a challenging and frustrating, if not hopeless, experience. Delay and deny tactics, lowball offers, and unfair settlement practices are just some of the obstacles claimants may encounter. However, legal representation can level the playing field and help individuals achieve fair settlements. In the face of insurance companies' profit-driven practices, having an experienced personal injury attorney can be the key to obtaining the compensation you rightfully deserve.
Doug Bailey at Bailey | Stock | Harmon | Cottam | Lopez LLP specializes in personal injury cases in Wyoming and Colorado. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case and learn more about your options for seeking the compensation you deserve.