State Farm is the largest auto insurer in the country. With that many policyholders, you’d think trying to get fair compensation from them after you’ve been hurt in a collision would be streamlined by now. Yet, if you are injured in an accident in Spokane caused by a driver who uses State Farm, you might have a frustrating time getting the money you’ll need to cover your physical and financial strain.
Your hospital bills and normal monthly bills may be going unpaid as you deal with recovery and miss more and more paychecks by being absent from work. It’s the worst time for a company like State Farm, representing a careless driver, to hit the pause button on your claim. You might think they are targeting you, but the fact is, they have a tried-and-true system that forces most victims into accepting unfair amounts after an accident.
Support for Spokane Accident Victims Dealing with State Farm
If you were seriously injured in a collision due to the negligence of another driver you need legal representation to avoid being a victim a second time. You might be facing the driver’s insurance agent from State Farm and soon realize how little they care about your case and what you’ve suffered.
Don’t be discouraged. Insurance agents get bonuses for guiding you into signing off on as low a compensation offer as possible, but having your own local representation watching your back can serve to ruin their day. Contact the auto accident lawyers with CCD Law in Spokane for a free evaluation of your case. You might be greatly underestimating the value of your injury and State Farm won’t be the one to tell you that.
State Farm Insurance Tricks Used on Collision Victims
State Farm has the best commercials and the coolest sports stars in their ads, but you have to wonder where the money comes from for that local ad time and a spot during the Superbowl. You can bet a big portion of those fees are paid for by the money saved by paying accident victims less than what’s fair.
One way they get those lowball offers pushed through is by keeping claimants who have been in an accident oblivious of their right to an attorney. They won’t tell you that you can file a lawsuit beyond the normal claim to ask for the proper amount you need for your current expenses and the expected costs in the future of extended medical care.
If you don’t let an attorney handle your claim you may see State Farm adjusters use some of these tactics to keep you at a disadvantage:
- Delayed Response: The easiest way State Farm can show how little they care about you is to take their time processing your claim and responding. They do this because the longer you wait the more desperate you may become as bills continue to pile up. They may claim that because they’re such a big company they can’t go any faster. An attorney can spot these deceptions and call them out.
- Shifting Blame: State Farm may also waste time and money investigating you trying to find ways to place some of the blame for the accident on you. They likely know that their policyholder was truly at-fault, but if they force you to accept some blame they can save thousands of dollars in settlement money. They may try to dig up your old driving records to try to show that you are reckless. They may also use some of your early statements about the accident to discredit your claim. That’s why you shouldn’t give any representative of an insurance company a statement about what happened in the accident or the severity of your injuries. Let your lawyer do the talking.
- Low Settlement Offer: Insurance agents may make you a ridiculously low offer just to see if you’ll bite. If you don’t have a legal expert on your side, you might not know that it’s a lowball offer. Make sure you don’t take the bait.
- Refusal to Make A Settlement Offer: Insurers can refuse all compensation hoping you won’t be dedicated enough to take them all the way to court. Insurers try to avoid courtrooms at all costs because it costs them so much in legal fees. So if you hold firm and have an attorney who is ready to present evidence against them, State Farm will usually back down and offer you fair compensation.
Earning Injury Compensation from State Farm
The important details that you include with your case can be vital to success, but when you file is also important. The statute of limitations in California offers victims up to 24 months after an accident to file a claim over their injuries. It may seem like plenty of time to spare, but it’s actually best to get your claim filed as soon as your ready.
Your attorney will have an easier time assembling evidence, witness information, and documents in the weeks right after a crash. It’s also very beneficial to file early when dealing with a giant insurance firm like State Farm. They may take longer to respond to your claim just due to the sheer number of claims they get each day. You want to get in their cue early so that you can get the compensation you need as soon as possible.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer In Spokane
If you were hurt in an accident anywhere around Spokane or Northern Idaho, contact a Spokane Car Accident Attorney to find out all those little details you don’t know about insurance companies that can make a big difference in the compensation you receive.
State Farm may have experienced adjusters ready to herd you into a settlement that doesn’t cover all of your hardships, but you’ll have your own attorney ready to catch them on their tricks-of-the-trade. Contact the Lawyers at CCD Law of Spokane for a consultation on the details of your case. It comes at no cost to you and is a no-obligation informational call or meeting with our experts.
