4 Things Insurance Adjusters Will Look for to Minimize or Deny Your Injury Claim

Being evaluated by an insurance company should not make you feel insecure, as long as you report the truth.

Making a claim after a car accident might seem simple: you report your injuries, present medical documents, and get compensation. In fact, solving a claim is preceded by an evaluation from the insurance company. To make sure their money goes into the treatment of real injuries, insurance adjusters will verify the accuracy of what you are claiming. 

Being evaluated by an insurance company should not make you feel insecure, as long as you report the truth. However, it helps a lot to know that there are certain red flags that insurance adjusters look for when investigating your claim. A legal matter is discussed in terms of hard evidence, consistency between facts and statements, and a logical connection between the pieces of information. 

Showing discrepancies between what you say and what is shown by facts will label you as a liar, and the insurance company might consider your claim to be unjustified. To make sure your claim goes smoothly, here are the red flags that you need to avoid.

Pre-Existing Injuries

One of the ways insurance companies can avoid paying the compensation you need is to claim that you had a pre-existing condition. They will claim that the accident is not to be blamed for your injuries, hence your injuries are not covered by them. 

Even if you actually had pre-existing injuries or conditions, if the accident made them worse you are generally entitled to compensation. It’s important to provide medical records of your conditions and injuries, as they document the severity and evolution of your health issues. 

To avoid this red flag, don’t give the insurance adjuster access to your medical history, and only provide records of the accident-related injuries. 

Inaccurate Reports from the Scene of the Accident

If there are discrepancies between your statement and the police report, or other witness accounts, the insurance adjuster will immediately consider it a red flag. The thing is, memories are recorded differently in our minds.

Discrepancies may appear, but if you know for sure that things happened in a certain way, stay behind your statement and try to find hard evidence or expert evaluations to support it. 

Not Seeking Medical Attention Right Away

This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make after a car accident. If you don’t go to the doctor after your accident, it could be assumed that you were perfectly fine. Go see a doctor as fast as possible at the slightest suspicion that you might’ve been injured.

There are, indeed, some injuries that show symptoms later and your compensation can cover them too. However, your claim remains valid only if you can prove that your injuries were not, indeed, visible or noticeable at the time of the accident. This is a hard thing to prove, so it’s best to just go to the doctor after an accident.

Exaggerating Your Injuries 

While you are evaluated by a doctor or talking to an insurance representative, exaggerating your injuries is a bad idea. Blowing them out of proportion will not give you a higher settlement. Instead, it will hurt your case and label you as untrustworthy. 

If you have an active car accident claim or you consider making one, get in touch with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney to defend your rights. They will help you avoid these red flags and protect your right to compensation from the at-fault party.