Question 1

What Tricks Do Insurance Companies Use To Avoid Paying Claims?

Accepted Answer

When you have a personal injury claim, be aware of the tricks insurance companies will use to try to avoid paying claims like yours. While there are some occasions where the defendant's insurance company will act in good faith and offer a fair settlement without extensive litigation, it is more common that the insurance company uses tactics to try to trick you into losing our claim.

The insurance company works hard to avoid paying out people whenever they can avoid it. That is why it's so important to have a lawyer on your side who has experience winning personal injury cases like yours and is familiar with the tricks insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. Burger Law has stood up to countless insurance companies over the years, going after the compensation our clients are entitled to. Find out how we can help you by 
calling us at 314-542-2222.



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Tricks Insurance Companies Use To Avoid Paying Your Claim

Insurance agents are rewarded for minimizing the payout the company has to give, or avoiding responsibility for the damages completely. They have developed a series of tricks and tactics they commonly use to try to trick you into settling low or losing your claim altogether.

Beware of the following strategies employed by defendants' insurance companies to trick you into a low settlement or non-settlement.


Stalling
Insurance companies are large corporations. Personal injury victims are very often individuals or families that, sooner or later, really NEED the money from the settlement to move forward with their lives. Insurance companies know this and will intentionally draw out the process as long as they can in hopes that you will give up or get inpatient and accept a low-ball offer.

Offering False Sympathy
Sometimes they will try to appear to be on your side. Their strategy is to blindside you or to build a false sense of trust and camaraderie so that they can - again - manipulate you into a lower settlement.

Spying on you
In some cases, adjusters might go so far as to hire a private investigator to try to catch you going about your day doing things you claim you physically can't do due to your accident-related injuries. But more likely they will look for evidence in your contradictory statements or through your social media activity. They will look for posts from or about you that indicate that you are enjoying your life as normal and able to physically do things you claim you can't.

Lying to you
One of the easiest and most common tactics insurance companies use to minimize your claim is to lie to you outright. They will attempt to trick you into believing you don't have a legitimate claim or otherwise cannot pursue rightful compensation. Read on for some of the common lies insurance companies tell personal injury claimants.



Lies Insurance Companies Tell To Avoid Paying Claims


You have to give a recorded statement. (If they tell you this, speak to your lawyer)
They do not have to pay for medical care if your personal health insurance paid for it.
Do not have to pay your wage loss damages because you took sick time, disability or your employer covered you.
That a lawyer will only take away money from you and out of your pocket in a settlement. (this is false because we would not take a case if we could not add value to it).
That there is no way you could have been as injured as you were from the impact.
That the insured only has a certain amount of insurance coverage so they cannot pay. (Get a copy of the declaration page and the policy terms and make them give you an affidavit that there is no other insurance).
You have to settle now or they will rescind their offer. (They will not).
They can only put so much on the case. (They can get permission to pay more).



Don't Get Tricked By the Insurance Companies
When you've been hurt in an accident where another party was at fault, you are entitled by law to receive compensation to help make you whole again. Unfortunately, the insurance companies who are on the hook to pay you this money often use tricks to try to avoid paying the settlement you deserve for your claim.

If the insurance company is not willing to pay your claim in good faith and are attempting to trick you into settling low or dropping your claim, you owe it to yourself to hire a capable law firm to defend against their tricks and tactics. Burger Law has helped people like you survive their cases and get the full compensation they deserve. Talk to us today; just call 314-542-2222 or reach us here.

Question 2

Is It Worth It to Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident?

Accepted Answer

Is It Worth It to Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident? If you've been injured in a car accident, you may be asking yourself, is it worth it to get a lawyer for a car accident? In many cases, not only is it worth it, but it's necessary in order to be fairly compensated for your injuries and damages. It's especially important to hire a lawyer if you received significant injuries or the negligent driver does not want to take responsibility for their actions. The good news is, talking to our Chicago and St. Louis based car accident injury law team is free. That's why we always recommend speaking to a lawyer before settling your claim. When you discuss your case with us, we will give you an honest and straightforward answer as to how much your claim may be worth and whether it is worth it to hire a car accident lawyer for your case. Call Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

The important part about your car accident claim is that you are fairly and rightfully compensated for your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. When considering if it's worth it to hire a car accident lawyer, the important question to ask is: Can they add value to my claim? That is, will you receive more money with an attorney's help, even after factoring in attorneys' fees? Whether it is worth it to get a lawyer depends on a few factors: the circumstances of your accident, the actions of the insurance company and at-fault driver, and the experience and talent of your car accident lawyer. At Burger Law, our Chicago and St. Louis based personal injury law firm has over 20 years of experience securing great compensation for our clients and have seen every type of car accident case. 

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When You Need a Lawyer For a Car Accident Claim

Imagine the following two scenarios:

    A distracted driver accidentally runs a red light and t-bones your car. The driver is apologetic and accepts fault, and after a quick trip to an Illinois or Missouri emergency room for some bruises and lacerations you don't need to take any time off work. The at-fault driver's insurance company agrees to pay for your full medical expenses and the repairs to your car. You ask for a little extra for inconvenience and they oblige.
    You are in a truck accident. Your car is totaled and you've sustained potentially significant back, neck, and spine injuries that could have long-term effects and require further medical care. The driver and their trucking company are trying to blame you for the accident, and their powerful insurance company is downplaying the severity of your injuries. You've missed a lot of time off work and are not sure you'll be able to go back and perform at the same level you used to.


In scenario one, it's likely not worth it to get a lawyer for your car accident claim. It doesn't cost anything to talk to Burger Law's Missouri and Illinois car accident lawyer, so there's no harm in calling us to talk over your case, however we may recommend taking the insurance company's settlement offer as we are unlikely to be able to add much value to your claim and secure you a net gain in compensation. Remember though, never settle without talking to a lawyer first.

However, situations like scenario two always require an experienced and talented car accident lawyer like the St. Louis and Chicago based team at Burger Law. Not only we will be able to prove the truck driver or truck company's liability and hold them accountable, we won't fall for the insurance company's tricks. We stand up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and make sure you receive every bit of the maximum compensation you are owed. Serious injuries can have significant long-terms costs associated with them such as pain medications, doctor's appointments, and assistive devices such as crutches. We use our network of medical and economic experts to calculate exactly how much further medical care you will need and how much it will cost, adjusting for inflation.

Even if your injuries are not as severe as a significant spinal cord injury, you will need an attorney's help at the first sight of lowball offers from the insurance company or if the liable party's story differs from yours.

Another way a Missouri and Illinois car accident lawyer can add value to your claim is by ensuring you receive a full recovery for your noneconomic damages as well. Missouri Senate Bill 239 and Illinois Compiled Statute &#167; 5/2-1115.2 define noneconomic damages as:


    Pain and suffering
    Mental anguish
    Inconvenience
    Physical impairment
    Disability
    Disfigurement
    Loss of ability to enjoy life
    Loss of consortium


A skilled and knowledgeable Missouri and Illinois car accident lawyer will make sure the liable party, their insurance company, and if necessary a judge and jury know the full scope of the impact your injuries have had on your life. It is absolutely worth it to hire Burger Law, we get our clients maximum compensation and to date have won our Illinois and Missouri clients over $175 million in verdicts and settlement.


Hire a Car Accident Lawyer Today | It's Worth It
If you've been in a car accident and sustained serious injuries, the liable party won't accept responsibility, or their insurance company is not treating you fairly, reach out to the Chicago and St. Louis based car accident law firm at Burger Law today. We start working on your case and don't let up until you receive the full recovery you are owed. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

Question 3

Top Tricks Insurance Adjusters Use and How to Combat Them

Accepted Answer

Top Tricks Insurance Adjusters Use and How to Combat Them. It is bad enough that you were injured in a car crash, slip and fall or other accident because someone else was negligent. But now you have the added burden of trying to deal with an insurance adjuster who does not want to fairly compensate you for your injuries. At Burger Law, our personal injury lawyers have been standing up to bullies like resistant insurance companies for over 30 years. We know every trick in the book that insurance companies use, how to combat them and how to get our clients great results. We have offices in Chicago and St. Louis and serve the injured throughout Missouri and Illinois. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free consultation.

If you sustained an injury because someone else broke the rules, see how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

Top 7 Tricks Missouri and Illinois Insurance Adjusters Use and How to Combat Them
While insurance companies are obligated to pay you for damages their policyholders cause, the adjusters are paid to compensate you for as little as possible. Many are pretty good at their jobs, but unfortunately for them, we're better. Below are the seven most common tricks your Burger Law personal injury lawyer has seen insurance adjusters try to use and the best ways to combat them.

1. Too Much Time Has Elapsed

The Trick: The insurance adjuster will say too much time has elapsed between the accident and your first treatment. They often ask us, "How do you know your client's injuries are from the accident you are making a claim for if they waited so long?"

How to Combat It: This is a common trick and the reason that personal injury lawyers tell people to seek medical attention right away after an accident, even if they do not think their injuries are severe. There are several ways to fight this. You can show proof that you did get some initial care or that you at least thought about getting medical attention. You can also mention that there are legitimate factors that caused you to delay treatment. Maybe you were out of town on work or your spouse was away so you had to take care of the kids. Often, a pregnant woman will not want to go to a chiropractor right away for a back injury because they do not want someone pushing against the baby.

2. You Only Get Compensation for Six Weeks of Treatment

The Trick: They will try to say injuries on average only need six weeks of treatment to heal, so they will not pay for anything after six weeks.

How to Combat It: We remind them that not everybody is average. If the average is six weeks, that means some people recover in two weeks and some people recover in six months. We tell them that our client's injuries are not required to conform to a statistic. Also, injuries vary. A herniated disc may take months of chiropractic and physical therapy appointments. You have a duty to try to mitigate your damages, meaning you have to return to work when able. We tell the insurance adjuster that if they want our client to go back to work, they will need several months of chiropractic appointments or physical therapy to do that.

If a case comes to trial, we will tell the jury, "Remember that knee injury from high school? That still bothers you, doesn't it?"

3. Low Property Damage or Low-Speed Impact

The Trick: In a car accident case, they will say pictures of the car do not show much damage or the impact happened at low speeds, so it is impossible that you could have sustained serious injuries from the collision.

How to Combat It: We use a couple strategies. The first is to use science. Force equals mass times acceleration. If the facts of the case support it, we can show how the impact from a larger vehicle at low speeds can cause the same impact as two similar vehicles at high speeds. Speed is not the only determining factor of how strong a collision can be.

The second is to get into the specifics of the car. Some vehicles are built differently and react differently to being hit at certain angles. We can show pictures of the interior of the vehicle. If the force of the crash was so low, how come all the airbags are out?

4. The Adjuster Only Looks at Outstanding Medical Bills
The Trick: The adjuster will evaluate the case based on the extent of the medical bills only, and not on the extent of your injuries.

How to Combat It: There are some severe injuries that are not going to acquire a lot of medical treatments. For example, if you break your ribs you are not going to have a lot of follow-up appointments, or if you have a herniated disc doctors cannot operate on, the medical bills might not reflect the extent of the injury. Your injury is still incredibly painful you might have significant issues with mobility and daily tasks. Sometimes an injury heals, but you still have numbing or tingling sensations. In those situations, we stand up for our clients and refuse to accept anything less than the full compensation you deserve. We let the adjuster know that we are not going to back down, and that if they want to they can let a jury determine the extent of your damages.

5. The Medical Provider Charged More Than They Should Have
The Trick: The adjuster says they will not pay for the full medical bills because the cost of the medical appointments should have been cheaper.

How to Combat It: We explain that the appointments were expensive because they included injections or MRIs and other tests. We will also consult with other hospitals and other doctors in the same field to see if the provider really overcharged. You can also point out that hospitals often do not tell you what the costs will be upfront and that you did not have a choice in which emergency room you visited.

We can also file a lawsuit to have your medical liens reduced.

6. Not Disclosing Policy Limits
The Trick: The insurance adjuster will not disclose their policyholder's policy limits, so you do not actually know the maximum amount you can get in a settlement.

How to Combat It: This does not apply in Illinois because the adjuster is required to disclose this, but Missouri insurance companies do this all the time. Often, the best thing to do is file a lawsuit for bad faith failure to settle so that we have access to the policy limit.

7. Injuries are Pre-Existing

The Trick: The insurance adjuster will say that a pre-existing medical condition is the actual cause of your injuries and need for medical treatment.

How to Combat It: That depends on the specifics of your case, but generally you show them how things are different for you now. For example, you had a herniated disc from an accident years ago, but have been asymptomatic and have not gotten any treatment for it in five years. Or, we can show that your back pain used to be limited to your lower back, but now that pain has radiated all the way up to your neck. An experienced personal injury lawyer will have a thorough understanding of your medical history so they can show how your life changed after your accident. It could be that you had a pre-existing condition but new symptoms only reveal themselves after the crash. Sometimes, a client gets in two accidents a few days apart and then gets treatment. In that case, we file one lawsuit against both drivers and let the negligent drivers argue it out with each other.

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Experienced and Dedicated Personal Injury Attorneys | Burger Law
It is one thing to know what tricks insurance companies use, but for the best results in your case you need someone with the dedication, tenacity and experience to fight back against bullying adjusters for you. We handle all the negotiation and litigation in your case so you can focus on healing. Talking to us is free, so there is no risk in calling us to ask us if the insurance company's being fair. If somebody else caused you injuries anywhere in Missouri or Illinois, call a Burger Law personal injury lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Tricks Do Insurance Companies Use To Avoid Paying Claims?

Is It Worth It to Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident?

Top Tricks Insurance Adjusters Use and How to Combat Them

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