In my line of work as a
Dallas car accident attorney, a phrase I hear far too often is, "They seemed so friendly... I thought I could trust them." Unfortunately, this phrase always follows an explanation of how an insurance adjuster tried to (and in some cases succeeded to) take advantage of an accident victim.
Whenever you are involved in a car accident in Dallas, chances are you will have to deal with an adjuster at some point in the claims process. Most of our firm's clients hire us after they have realized that the insurance adjuster they are dealing with is not treating them fairly, and or the adjuster is not willing to offer them a fair settlement. (Note: The earlier an attorney becomes involved in your case, the greater the chance of a high dollar settlement. See this article for more details) Often, the victim does not realize this is taking place until it is much too late because the insurance adjusters are so nice and friendly that the accident victim has no idea that they are being led into a trap.
THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!!!
To really put this into perspective I want to share a true story with you about a woman who fell for the "We care about you" act. Her misplaced trust cost her potentially millions of dollars.
I have spent twenty years helping victims of trucking accidents seek justice for their injuries. In helping these people, I am often forced to deal with commercial insurance carriers that provide coverage for the nation’s trucking industry. These companies use countless strategies to cheat victims out of the money they deserve, but few stories have affected me quite as much as the story of Jackie.
Jackie was a mother of three children whose husband, her high school sweetheart Joe, was killed by an 18 wheeler. Joe was stopped on the side of the road, changing a flat tire, when an 18 wheeler driver swerved off the side of the road and crashed into Joe. Needless to say, Joe did not survive this accident.
The 18 wheeler’s insurance company knew about Joe’s death even before Jackie. They immediately sent a team to the accident site to start building a case against Joe, but it did not take long for them to realize that their client was the party responsible for this tragedy.
Obviously, Jackie was heartbroken when she got the news of her husband’s death. Jackie went down to the morgue in order to identify Joe’s body. While she was there, an insurance company representative approached her with a settlement. Jackie was furious at the adjuster’s audacity, and her brother forced the adjuster to (reluctantly) leave.
Insurance companies do this all the time: they attempt to take advantage of a victim’s family when they are in an emotionally fragile state. They’re hoping that the family will be so scared and so traumatized, that they will sign away all their legal rights – and unfortunately, this tactic is often successful.
Jackie’s brother told her that she should sue the trucking company. But she refused, stating that she wasn’t “money-hungry.” She just wanted for compensation for her loss, and she trusted the insurance company to meet this very reasonable expectation. After all, the accident was their fault, so they should be eager to compensate her.
The insurance company spent the next two weeks hounding Jackie with phone calls at her house and her relatives’ houses. Eventually, she gave in and agreed to meet with an adjuster. The adjuster arrived prepared. She had a settlement form, already completed and ready for Jackie to sign. The adjuster also told Jackie that suing the trucking company would be pointless because she could only receive compensation for her husband’s lost wages. This statement was utterly false – and the insurance adjuster knew it.
Faced with the task of raising her children alone, Jackie was terrified. She was suspicious of the insurance company, but she was also worried that, if she waited, she might not receive any compensation at all. She reluctantly agreed to sign the settlement if an attorney would look over it first. Within minutes, an attorney arrived at Jackie’s house to examine the documents.
But this attorney was employed by the insurance company. He quickly skimmed the settlement and told Jackie that it was fair, that it was the best offer she was going to get. She signed it.
By time she realized what had happened, it was too late. Jackie eventually contacted me about this incident, but there was nothing I could do. Had she gotten in contact with an experienced 18 wheeler accident attorney earlier, she could have received a large settlement, compensating her for lost wages, funeral expenses, and lost companionship caused by Joe’s death. Her settlement could have been in the seven-figure range – because that’s what she deserved.
What did she actually get? She got a settlement worth a few years of Joe’s income. One that shrunk to only $600 per month once her children were grown. No amount of money can replace a loved one, but for an insurance company to offer $600 a month for the loss of someone’s husband is beyond deceitful.
I desperately wish that I could tell you that this rarely happens. Unfortunately, I see this sort of behavior almost every day. Insurance companies care only for their own profits. The insurance adjuster responsible for Jackie’s file probably received a promotion.
Ultimately, the insurance company is not on your side – no matter what they might say. If you or someone in your family has been in an accident involving an 18 wheeler, you need a team of legal professionals who will fight for your rights. It is imperative that you seek the help of an experienced trucking accident attorney as soon as possible. Make sure that you and your family’s suffering is fairly compensated.
As that story clearly illustrates, insurance companies will often resort to unscrupulous methods to protect their bottom line. I find it fascinating that our society is so quick to see right through a sales pitch, or at least recognize it for what it is, yet they commonly fall for the sales pitch of an insurance adjuster.
If you are going to deal with an insurance company without an attorney, at the very least, you need to be aware that the vast majority of what they say to you and ask of you is more than protocol; rather, it is a well orchestrated pitch designed to lure you into a position where they can take advantage of your good nature. That effectively, IS, their business model.
I am a realistic attorney and I understand that some people would rather not hire an lawyer, and I understand that not every single
car accident in Dallas requires the expertise of an lawyer. But, I do think that everyone who is involved in a car accident in Dallas should, at the very least, be aware that the insurance adjuster is not really your friend and that all of their supposed interest in your well being is just part of the sales pitch. As a general rule of thumb, if they are treating you particularly well it's because they know they have some liability and they are trying to charm you into not suing them for big money while they attempt to pacify you with a small settlement.
You've really got nothing to lose by getting a second opinion. Just call 888-436-0288 to speak to one of our attorneys, and we will give you an honest appraisal of the situation as to whether or not the insurance companies are treating you fairly. Our
DFW metroplex car wreck attorneys are happy to answer any questions you may have.
-Written by Texas Auto Accident Attorney E. Michael Grossman