Many personal injury claimants make mistakes in their case because they do not understand how insurance companies and the claims process work. Here, a Michigan personal injury attorney will give you a few facts that you should know:
It is true that, all other things being equal, insurance companies would rather not go to court. However, some claimants overestimate the insurance companies’ reluctance to go to court, when in fact the costs and risks in defending a claim can be quite reasonable if the odds of a verdict against the company are not too high. The insurance company may well spend $5,000 to defend against a claim worth $9,000, especially if it feels you were liable. The insurance company may even litigate cases it may not win in order to avoid giving the impression that it will settle just to avoid trial.
While it is true that insurance claims adjusters would prefer to resolve each claim quickly, do not be fooled into thinking you can force a settlement by dragging your feet. Adjusters, even senior ones, have to answer for each settlement they make, and dealing with a lengthy case is far preferable to paying out too much. Any settlement the adjuster makes could be questioned at a later date by his superiors, so the adjuster must be ready to justify any settlement he pays out. An adjuster will not risk his job just to get your file off his desk faster. The adjuster may even use the limitation on his power to his advantage and use the bureaucracy to give you the run-around if you are being uncooperative. The adjuster may well decide it is preferable to let a claim go to court, at which point the adjuster simply hands your file off to the defense attorney.
Recovering damages from an insurance company can be a long and arduous process. You cannot bluff your way through it. You will need substantial evidence, all the documents and photographs you can get a hold of that can prove your claim. Don’t try to fight that battle alone. Call today for a free consultation with Michigan personal injury attorney Christopher Trainor.