One of the leading injuries, if not the leading injury of car accident victims, is whiplash. In fact, whiplash injuries affect more than one million people in the United States every year. To make matters worse, whiplash victims must also frequently deal with insurance companies like State Farm after their accident.
If you have sustained whiplash injuries in a car accident, you might have questions such as:
The purpose of insurance is to help provide compensation in the event of an accident. However, there are a number of things insurers don’t want you do know. So let’s dive in and discuss the three secrets about State Farm car accident settlements that you’ll want to know to help you maximize your State Farm settlement for whiplash.
Secrets of State Farm Car Accident Settlements
State Farm claims that its goal is to help injured victims recover. However, State Farm’s ultimate goal is to collect the maximum amount of premiums while paying the minimum number of claims. Thus, it is important to know how State Farm operates so that you can effectively get the compensation you are entitled to recover.
Secret 1: State Farm May Attempt to Use Your Past Against You
State Farm will dig into an individual’s past to find information that could justify reducing or denying a claim. For example, consider a car accident victim who is involved in a rear-end collision and sustains serious whiplash. If the victim sustained a similar injury in the past that may have contributed to their symptoms, the State Farm settlement for the whiplash injury might be reduced. State Farm will often use this tactic to reduce an injury victim’s potential recovery.
Therefore, it is important to be careful with what medical records you provide to State Farm. Every request for medical records made by State Farm should be reviewed by an attorney. In fact, it is prudent to engage an attorney to assist with the entire process.
Secret 2: You Do Not Have to Accept State Farm’s Offer to Settle
The issues following a car accident can range from physical to emotional to economic. Financial pressures are bound to present a hardship for most injury victims. Unfortunately, State Farm is aware of these financial burdens on victims and will often use them to its advantage.
However, know that you do not have to accept any offer made by State Farm, let alone their very first offer. While any amount up front may seem appealing, you very well may be entitled to even more. An attorney can help you review your offer and determine whether it is a fair representation of the compensation you will need to recover.
Secret 3: Don’t Feel Pressured to Provide State Farm with a Statement
State Farm adjusters will try to pressure you to make a recorded statement. However, despite their insistence, you do not have to provide one.
Regardless of whether you are navigating a State Farm rear-end collision settlement, whiplash settlement, or any other car accident settlement, don’t feel pressured by State Farm. If the adjuster has questions about the accident or injuries sustained, there are other avenues available to them.
If you don’t feel comfortable communicating with State Farm on your own, contact an attorney to help you communicate and negotiate your claims on your behalf. Not only will this relieve some pressure from your shoulders, but it may also allow you to maximize your ultimate recovery.
Contact Our Team Today
Experienced attorneys are able to recognize when State Farm uses these “tricks” to offer a lower settlement. The attorneys at MIC Firm have six decades of combined experience helping clients in the most difficult times of their lives. Further, we know State Farm’s secrets and will fight to help you get the compensation you need to recover. Contact our team today to discuss your case and see how we can help you with your State Farm settlement for whiplash.
Jeremiah Johns is a former insurance defense attorney who now represents plaintiffs in bad faith insurance, catastrophic injury cases, and commercial disputes. He has a unique perspective from his experience representing some of the nation’s largest insurance companies.
Jeremiah is licensed to practice law in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia (though he is presently inactive in Georgia). He is also admitted to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. For his education, Jeremiah earned an LL.M. in Admiralty from Tulane University, a J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University, and both a B.A. and B.S., magna cum laude, from Georgia State University.
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