Dealing with Serious Car Accident Injuries
In fact, most folks figure that the insurance company will take care of everything.
It’s important to remember, however, that insurance companies are for-profit industries.
Since Mississippi and Arkansas are both considered tort or fault-based states when it comes to auto insurance, you are actually filing a claim with another driver’s car insurance.
The auto insurance company from the at-fault driver purchased their policy advocates on behalf of their clients—not on your behalf.
In other words, the insurance company has absolutely no responsibility toward you other than what the law forces them to do.
How Insurance Companies Reduce the Value of Your Claim?
When you’re in a car accident, you file a claim against an at-fault party’s insurance. The insurance company immediately begins investigating the accident. In fact, it’s not unheard of for insurance companies to attempt to contact injured drivers. When they do, they present themselves as if they’re trying to help you. Meanwhile, they’re asking you loaded questions and reducing your the value of your claim as much as they can.
Major car insurance companies, like Allstate, use an insurance adjuster software called Colossus. At face value, this appears an objective and systematic way of assessing the value of an injury claim. Insurance adjusters will punch a few numbers into the software, and then come up with a settlement amount. The truth is, this number is generally insultingly low.
As a claimant on a policy, you have a right to see exactly how they arrived at that number. Certain factors may surprise you. For instance, if you don’t seek immediate medical attention, this can vastly reduce the value of your claim. It does not, however, prove by any means that your injuries are not as severe as someone who went directly to the hospital.
Cheap tricks like these, for good or ill, are a part of the negotiation process. For you, the stakes will be very high. Those who are seriously injured in a car accident tend to miss time from work. Other times, they may lose their job or need to find other work after they recover. If this describes your situation, you deserve compensation for that. But insurance companies will hardly ever offer to cover the time you miss from work without putting up a fight.
You Need a Skilled Mississippi and Arkansas Personal Injury Attorney
You will only have one chance to recover damages for your accident. If you’ve suffered serious injuries and will need to miss at least some time from work, then you deserve compensation for that. You also deserve recovery for your sleepless nights, your pain and suffering, and any other inconvenience you suffered due to the negligence of the other driver.
The lawyers at the Harris Law Firm have successfully represented the interests of numerous Arkansas and Mississippi residents injured by negligent drivers in car crashes. Give us a call or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
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