You were seriously injured in a motor vehicle crash that was not your fault. In fact, the other driver’s negligence was clearly established by police reports and the driver’s own admission. The next step should be a fair settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company to compensate you for your medical bills and lost wages, right?
Wrong! It is the insurance company’s goal to pay out as little as possible on their policies, even for claims that should be open and shut. How do they justify denying or devaluing your claim? By making excuses and accusations such as the ones written below by our Indianapolis car accident attorney.
Claims Insurance Companies Will Make to Avoid Paying You What You Deserve in Indiana
The reality is that if insurance companies paid every claimant what the claimant thought they were owed, the insurer would go broke, and the world would not need accident 
attorneys like Keller & Keller. For the insurer, our injury lawyer adds, every claim is an opportunity to save money, so they will try any tactic to get you to accept less than what you are owed or to walk away with nothing. We have heard every excuse and accusation in the book. Here are some of the most popular Indiana insurance companies:
- Your injuries were not caused by this accident. If the insurance company gets access to your medical records, they might accuse you of claiming that a pre-existing injury was caused by their client in the current accident. Even if you had injured your back years ago, for example, the accident could have made it worse, in which case you would still be entitled to damages.
- You contributed to the accident. The other driver might have been ticketed for the accident, but the insurance adjuster could still make accusations about your actions to devalue your claim. They might say that you stopped suddenly, failed to signal, or didn’t do enough to avoid an accident. Their intent in making statements like this is to scare you into accepting less than you are owed.
- Your injuries did not seem serious at the time of the crash. The adjuster might claim that you did not complain enough about being hurt to police officers at the scene or that you did not go to the hospital soon enough after the crash. While it helps a claim to get medical treatment as soon as possible, not complaining or not needing an ambulance does not justify denying a valid claim. Sometimes, symptoms of injuries take time to develop.
- Our insured is not at fault. There may be no question about the seriousness of your injuries, but the adjuster may try to pin the blame for the crash on an unrelated third party, such as a hit-and-run driver or a municipality for poor road conditions. These delay tactics can be countered with evidence from the scene.
- Your statements have been inconsistent. The adjuster will compare what you said to the police at the scene to what you said to doctors in the ER and what you have said about the accident since. If they find any inconsistencies, they will try to deny your claim based on that. The sooner your attorney takes over-communicating with the involved parties, the less likely you are to make contradictory statements.
- We have closed your file. It can take time to get your bearings after being injured in a crash and getting medical treatment. If an adjuster claims that they have closed the file on the accident because 30 days have passed, don’t let this worry you. The only deadline that matters is Indiana’s statute of limitations, which is two years from the date of the accident. As long as you are filing within two years, your claim is legitimate.
Speak With an Indiana Attorney
These excuses are just that—unjustified excuses to deny your claim. Keller & Keller lawyers have been ignoring these excuses from insurance companies for over 75 years in Indiana. When you call us right away after a car accident, you won’t even have to hear these accusations and excuses. We will take make sure your claim is given the respect and attention it deserves. If the insurance company fails to take it seriously, our Indianapolis car accident lawyer will file a lawsuit on your behalf. Call us or fill out our contact form to find out more about how we help victims of Indiana car accidents.
