Injured? Prepare for an Insurance Company’s Lowball Offer
Insurance companies are some of the largest businesses in New York, just as they are in other states. And they did not get this way by paying out generous benefits after an injured victim makes a claim. A recent story from Channel 2 in Atlanta highlights how stingy many insurance companies can be.
It all began when Tesha McGee was injured in a car accident by a driver who had Allstate insurance. McGee injured her wrist when the other driver T-boned her, and she made a claim for compensation for the constant pain that she feels. Sounds easy, right?
Unfortunately, Allstate refused McGee’s settlement offer, believing the amount she requested was too high. As a result, McGee was forced to go into court and bring a lawsuit. Fortunately, she won her case—and Allstate was ordered to pay much more in compensation than she was seeking in her settlement offer.
Ms. McGee’s travails with Allstate were not unique. Other drivers had trouble even getting adequate compensation for property damage claims. After getting rear-ended, Debi and John Carey had to have their Nissan pathfinder repaired after the frame was damaged. An independent shop estimated that it would cost over $19,000 to repair. The shop in the Allstate network that ultimately did the repairs only charged $11,700, but independent mechanics questioned the quality of the repair work. In fact, the repair relied heavily on “Bondo” to hold the frame together instead of proper welding. The Carey’s vehicle is now unsafe to drive.
An Industry-Wide Problem
Statistics show that Allstate tends to reject settlement offers at a very high rate and ends up in court as a result. However, the tendency to deny claims or delay even investigating them is not unique to Allstate. It is an industry-wide practice.
According to the Channel 2 story, these tactics are not accidental. Insurance company insiders report that low ball offers and foot-dragging are standard practice in attempts to get injured victims to quickly settle their cases for much less than they deserve. Many insurance companies realize that injured victims often cannot work and desperately need money to pay their bills. They are banking on this fact when they make low offers.
How to Fight Back
If you have been injured in a wreck, you should meet with an NYC car accident lawyer. As experienced lawyers, we understand the tricks that insurance giants use, and we aren’t afraid to call their bluff. Often, by staying focused on our goal, we can get the maximum compensation our clients are entitled to under the law. If an insurer will not meet our demands, we are more than happy to file paperwork in court and take your case before a jury.
Contact an NYC Car Accident Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation
A member of the team at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman can discuss your claim if you contact us. Give us a call at 212-285-3300 or fill out our contact form. We offer members of the public a free case evaluation where they can ask questions and learn more about our experience taking on New York’s insurance giants.
