After making a car accident claim, you may be wondering, What is a good settlement offer? While the value of a claim varies heavily from case to case, there are a few telltale signs that you’ve received a lowball insurance settlement offer.
Here are a few ways insurance companies may try to undermine your New Mexico car accident claim.
1. They Try to Settle with You Immediately
It’s always important to take time after an accident to assess the full extent of your damages. Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t want you to figure out the full value of your claim.
To keep you from researching your accident, they may ask you to waive your right to sue them in exchange for an immediate settlement. Their goal is to get desperate victims to accept the first offer. However, this lowball insurance settlement offer is usually much lower than the case is worth.
2. They Are Dismissive of Your Injuries
One of the tactics insurance companies use to minimize a claim is to call the severity of your injuries into question. In fact, they may try to attribute your injuries to pre-existing conditions or over-exaggeration. They might even push back against the opinion of your doctor, accusing them of being untrustworthy.
3. They Blame You for the Accident
Since many car accident claims go through the defendant’s insurance company, the adjustor often tries to blame the accident on the claimant. Maybe they suggest that you didn’t look both ways at a stop sign.
Perhaps they believe you were texting and driving. Whatever they claim, they may hang their lowball insurance settlement offer over your head as the only option.
4. They Ignore Clear Evidence
A major red flag in a New Mexico insurance claim is if the adjustor ignores evidence of damages. Insurance companies may write off certain medical bills, photos, or witness statements as irrelevant.
However, they usually do this when the evidence may work in the claimant’s favor. This is a pretty good indication that the insurance company may be minimizing your claim.
5. Your Second Settlement Offer Is Lower
If you decline the first offer, the insurance company might just stop communicating with you completely. In addition, if you manage to get ahold of them, they may say that they “lost” your emails, letters, etc.
At this point, they hope you get desperate enough to ask for the initial settlement offer. However, they then use that opportunity to offer a lower amount.
You Don’t Need to Fight the Insurance Company Alone. Call Us Today
If you sustain an injury in a New Mexico car accident and the insurance company pressures you to accept a settlement, call our attorneys. At Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro P.C., we advocate for the best interests of our clients from day one.
Whether you need help gathering evidence for your claim or negotiating a settlement, we’re here to help. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, give us a call at 575-222-1000 or contact us online.
Daisy Chaparro
Daisy Chaparro was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. A graduate from El Dorado High School in 2008 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy from St. Mary’s University in 2012. Daisy then obtained her Juris Doctorate (magna cum laude) from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2015.
Rate this Post
Loading...