An adjuster calls three days after your crash. They sound sympathetic. They want to “help you move forward quickly” with a settlement offer. The number sounds reasonable at first. Maybe it covers your current medical bills and car repairs with a little extra. You’re tempted to accept and be done with it, but don’t. That first offer is almost always too low. Insurance companies count on you not knowing what your claim is actually worth.
Why Initial Offers Fall Short
Insurance adjusters work for their company, not for you. Their job is to close your file while paying as little as possible. The faster they can get you to sign a release, the less their company pays out. Early settlement offers typically only account for your immediate, obvious expenses. They might cover your emergency room visit and the estimate to fix your bumper. What they don’t include is everything else that matters:
- Future medical treatment you’ll need
- Physical therapy sessions over the coming months
- Lost wages from the time you couldn’t work
- Reduced earning capacity if injuries affect your job long-term
- Pain and suffering from your injuries
- The emotional toll of dealing with the aftermath
Many injuries don’t show their full extent right away. That stiff neck from the crash might turn into months of chronic pain requiring ongoing treatment. The insurance company knows this. They’re betting you don’t.
Common Tactics Adjusters Use
Adjusters are hard negotiators. They use specific strategies to minimize what they pay you. One favorite tactic is acting like they’re doing you a favor. They’ll say things like “we want to help you avoid the stress of a long claims process” or “we’re prepared to make you a fair offer right now.” This creates artificial urgency. They want you to accept before you understand what your injuries truly cost.
Another approach is questioning the severity of your injuries. They might suggest your pain isn’t that bad or imply you’re exaggerating. They’ll point to gaps in your medical treatment as evidence you weren’t really hurt. They might even claim your injuries existed before the accident. Some adjusters will tell you their offer is “standard” or “what we pay for these types of cases.” That’s nonsense. Every case is different. Your injuries, your medical bills, and your circumstances are unique. By working with A Hope Mills car accident lawyer, you can protect yourself from these tactics and pursue the compensation you deserve.
What Full Compensation Actually Includes
A proper settlement accounts for both your economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are the calculable costs like medical bills, property damage, and lost income. These have specific dollar amounts attached. Non-economic damages compensate you for things that don’t come with receipts. Your pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress all have real value. The Hope Mills car accident lawyer you work with should factor these into any settlement demand.
If your injuries are severe, your settlement should also consider future costs. Will you need surgery down the road? Ongoing physical therapy? Modifications to your home because of mobility issues? These projected expenses belong in your calculation. North Carolina follows contributory negligence rules, which means if you share any fault for the accident, you might not recover anything at all. Insurance companies sometimes use this as leverage, suggesting you should take their offer before they “discover” you were partially at fault. This is another pressure tactic designed to make you settle quickly.
When To Get Legal Help
You don’t need an attorney for every fender bender. But if you sustained injuries requiring medical treatment, if the other driver’s insurance company is giving you the runaround, or if their settlement offer seems insufficient, you should talk to a lawyer before accepting anything.
At Macrae & Whitley, LLP, we review settlement offers to determine whether they reflect the true value of your claim. We know what insurance companies try to get away with because we’ve seen every tactic they use. The adjuster’s timeline isn’t your timeline. You have three years under North Carolina law to file a personal injury lawsuit after most car accidents. Don’t let anyone pressure you into accepting less than you deserve just because they want to close your file. Your compensation should reflect the full impact this accident has had on your life. We can help you understand what your case is worth and fight for a settlement that actually covers your damages. The insurance company’s first offer is just their opening bid, not the final word on what you’re owed. Contact us today.
