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After recovering from an accident with a commercial truck, you still have the difficult task of getting the insurance company to fairly compensate you for injuries and damages that occurred. As a response, the trucking company and its insurance provider might try to lessen the settlement amount. If you are not familiar with those tricks, you could end up settling for less than your claim is actually worth. To help you get a fairer settlement, here are some of the insurance company's tricks to look out for.
A Quick Offer
An immediate offer from the insurance company might seem like an honest attempt at settling the case, but the company's intention could be more sinister than you could imagine. There is a possibility that the insurance company's offer is an attempt to get you to accept a settlement that is far less than your case is actually worth.
The insurance company will try to take advantage of the hardships that sometimes occur after an accident. For instance, if you were unable to work for a period of time, the company might believe that you are cash poor and in need of a quick settlement. However, you should never settle your claim without first discussing an offer you received with your attorney.
Altered or Missing Evidence
When it comes to proving the truck driver was in the wrong, you will have to rely on more than just the evidence that is in front of you, such as the police report from the accident. There is invaluable evidence that is available only from the trucking company. The trucking company knows this and could attempt to alter or destroy evidence before you and your attorney have a chance to review it.
For instance, if the truck driver fell asleep and ran into your vehicle, his or her driving logs could be used to show that he or she had been on the road a considerable time and was not properly rested before starting his or her route.
You and your attorney will need to reach out to the trucking company as soon as possible to collect the evidence before it has been altered or destroyed. If the trucking company is unwilling to share the evidence needed, your attorney can file a petition with the court to force the turnover of the evidence.
There are other tricks that the insurance company can use to avoid paying the compensation deserved. Work with an attorney immediately after the accident to avoid falling victim to those tricks. To learn more, contact law firms like Brownfield Law Office.
Share17 May 2017
