Photo Credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption] Most personal injury accident claims – whether a car crash, a slip and fall, or a workplace accident – will involve insurance companies. Although insurance companies are obligated to comply with the terms of the insurance policy, there are several things that they don’t want you to know about your accident claim, such as:
- They are looking at your Facebook page. In the course of a claim investigation, insurance companies often hire investigators to help them find information about an injury victim that could be used by the insurance company to deny or reduce the claim. The investigators often search social network sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, for information that could be used against the injured person in the course of the claim process or personal injury lawsuit. Accordingly, if you were involved in a personal injury accident, the safest thing to do is avoid all social media interactions for a period of time following the accident. If you must continue using Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms, you should take great care to control the content that is on your own profile and the content that is linked to you.
- You may be their customer, but they are not your advocate. Insurance companies are in business to make money. The less money they pay you, the more money they keep in profits. While they have an obligation to pay on valid claims, not all insurance companies are looking out for your interest – including your own insurance company. In order to get an advocate who will fight for the money you deserve, you need to hire an attorney.
- They want you to miss legal deadlines. Statutes of limitations are time limits on when an accident claim can be filed in court. If you miss the statute of limitations, you will be prohibited from filing a lawsuit against the negligent party or its insurance company. Insurance companies will not, however, inform you of these time limitations. Accordingly, it is important to consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident so that you don’t miss any important deadlines.
- If you were injured by an uninsured motorist, you may be able to recover money from your own insurance company.
If you were injured in a car crash or other personal injury accident, you should contact an injury attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your accident claim is handled appropriately. Most personal injury lawyers work under a contingency fee arrangement, which means that you don’t pay unless you win. Contact the Chicago accident attorneys at Steinberg, Goodman & Kalish at (888) 325-7299 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your accident claim. Steinberg Goodman & Kalish (www.sgklawyers.com) is dedicated to protecting victims and their families. We handle medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, professional negligence, birth trauma, and railroad law matters. Contact us at (888) 325-7299 or (312) 445-9084.
