Did you know that in 2015 the total medical costs for slip and fall injuries were over $50billion? According to the CDC, at least over 800, 000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a slip and fall injury.
However, most of the slip and fall injuries could have been prevented. If you are a victim of a slip and fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, you have a right to expect compensation from the property owner.
If the property owner is insured, you will also have to deal with their insurer. In most instances, insurance companies try as much as possible to reduce their payouts to claimants.
If you plan to handle your slip and fall injury claim by yourself, it’s important that you start thinking like an insurance adjuster. We have experience dealing with insurance adjusters and have had to deal with several types of situations with them. We have summarized them to only five. Hopefully, you will be able to get some insight as to how insurers handle claims and what you should do in every situation.
5 Ways Insurance Companies Handle Slip and Fall Claims
When you file for an injury claim, it’s assigned to an adjuster whose job will be to resolve the claim as quickly as possible for the lowest amount of money. The main motivation for an insurance adjuster to settle for as little money as possible is because they are given rewards at work for their performance just like any other worker. Therefore settling a claim for less will determine their next bonus or promotion.
Adjusters have their own way of handling a claim. Below are some strategies they use:
They Act Like Your Friend
A friendly claims adjuster will convince you to handle your case and don’t bother with a lawyer. If your injuries are minor and the damages are straightforward then you can handle your claim on your own. However, if your injuries are severe, you should consider hiring an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer so that they can negotiate for you a fair compensation.
Another reason why an adjuster can be friendly towards you is so that they can convince you to record a statement. Don’t give a statement without a lawyer present because it’s very easy for an adjuster to manipulate you into admitting things that you shouldn’t.
They will Deny Your Claim
The adjuster will argue that:
- The accident was your fault
- Your injuries are exaggerated
- Your injuries do not exist
They will deny your claim to deter you in the hope that you won’t pursue the case any further. You should, however, continue to pursue your claim.
Lowball Offers
If you insist to continue with your claim even after they have denied it, they will give you a lowball settlement offer. They will claim that:
- It’s the best deal they can give you
- For cases like yours that’s the amount they give
This is also another strategy they use to deter you from pursuing your claim or at least they hope you will just take the money and go away.
The best approach to such situations is to always remain calm and to avoid looking desperate. Don’t take the offer personally and continue with the negotiations.
Delaying
An insurer may stall by ignoring your calls, refusing to answer your questions or not responding to counteroffers. The reason why they would do this is because doing so improves their bottom line. It may also deter you from pursing the claim or to accept a lowball offer.
The best approach to this situation would be persistence. In some cases, the adjuster may not be stalling on purpose and they could just be overworked.
Threats
An adjuster might imply a sense of urgency by telling you to settle immediately or they will close your claim. However, keep in mind that there is something called a statute of limitations meaning you still have time to resolve your case.
An adjuster can also insist that they schedule and independent medical exam for you especially if you are handling your claim without an attorney. The doctor performing the exam most likely works for the insurance company so you can be assured they will come up with a number of reasons why your injuries may not be what you claim they are. In such a scenario make sure you hire a lawyer to protect your right to compensation.
Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer to Boost Your Compensation
If you’ve recently been involved in a slip and fall accident in Providence, RI, get in touch with us today at 401-751-0101 to schedule your free initial consultation.
