Common Insurance Tactics After a Crash—And How to Protect Your Rights
Following a crash in Pennsylvania, insurers often resort to delay ploys, lowball offers, and disputing fault to protect their profits. These scam-style tactics can leave injured victims grappling with medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress while insurers drag out the process or push unfair settlements.
To overcome these challenges, you need a dedicated ally in personal injury matters. As your premier personal injury law firm, Sharma Law Office has the resources and experience to counter each underhanded move. Contact Sharma Law Office today for a complimentary consultation and ensure your claim is handled in the most effective way possible.
What are Common Insurance Tactics After a Crash?
Claims Process Delays
Insurers frequently cite “additional investigation” under 31 Pennsylvania Code Section 146.6 to stall claim evaluations beyond the initial 30-day period, leaving victims in limbo. By dragging out responses, carriers hope you’ll accept a quick, low offer rather than wait for fair compensation. In many instances, delays exceed the 45‑day follow-up window, violating statutory deadlines and pressuring you into premature settlements.
Unfair Settlements
Adjusters often issue a “first offer” that covers only a fraction of your actual expenses. By presenting a superficially reasonable figure, they hope to close claims quickly and reduce their exposure, ignoring long‑term rehabilitation costs or future complications.
Liability Disputes
Even when police reports clearly assign fault, insurers may claim ambiguity or partial responsibility. Carriers will scrutinize every detail, from skid marks to witness statements, arguing a multi-party fault scenario to lower the payout. They may suggest contributory negligence under Pennsylvania law, shifting blame to you for alleged speeding or inattention, regardless of clear evidence to the contrary.
Downplaying Injuries
Soft‑tissue injuries like whiplash, concussions, and ligament sprains often lack immediate, dramatic symptoms. Insurers exploit this by questioning delays in treatment or gaps between the crash and medical visits, implying that preexisting conditions may have been present. They might assert that your injuries were minor or unrelated, undermining your claim’s value. Without prompt, comprehensive medical records, it becomes difficult to establish causation and severity.
How Do You Protect Yourself Against These Tactics?
Evidence Documentation
From the moment you step away from the wreck, gather everything: take time-stamped photos of all vehicles, the crash scene, traffic signals, road conditions, and visible injuries. Get contact information for witnesses and retain the official police report. Keep a journal detailing pain levels, doctor visits, medications, and therapy sessions. This thorough accident documentation thwarts delay tactics and counters liability disputes.
Avoid Admission of Fault
Never apologize or underestimate the crash’s severity at the scene. Simple terms like “I’m sorry” can be twisted into an admission of liability. Stick to factual statements, where you were heading, what you saw, and what happened, without speculating or admitting fault.
Seeking Immediate Medical Help
Head straight to an emergency department or urgent care for evaluation, even if you feel fine. Early medical records establish a clear link between the crash and your injuries, leaving insurers little room to downplay treatment delays or claim preexisting issues. Follow all doctor recommendations and keep records of each appointment, test, and prescription.
Consulting a Legal Expert
Insurance carriers employ seasoned adjusters and defense attorneys—don’t face them alone. Retaining a personal injury lawyer ensures you have a professional who knows Pennsylvania’s automobile and insurance statutes, understands common delay and valuation tactics, and is prepared to negotiate or litigate on your behalf. A lawyer will file a timely demand, document bad-faith practices, and, if necessary, bring a bad-faith insurance lawsuit under 42 Pennsylvania C.S. Section 8371.
Finding the Best Personal Injury Lawyers
When selecting a representation, look for a personal injury law firm with a proven track record of securing favorable verdicts and settlements against major insurance companies. Sharma Law Office stands out for its client-focused approach, transparent communication, and proven track record of results. We handle every aspect, from gathering expert medical testimony to taking depositions, strategically building your case, and countering every scam-style maneuver.
Our law firm offers:
- Contingency fee agreements: You pay only when we win your case.
- Free consultations: We will help you discuss your claim and will take your case in a personalized manner.
- Comprehensive investigations: We collaborate with accident reconstructionist, life-care planners, and medical specialists.
- Aggressive advocacy: We pursue maximum compensation for medical bills, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and future care costs.
Sharma Law Office serves Easton and surrounding communities across Northampton County, Pennsylvania, with compassion and tenacity. Our partners include local medical practices and rehabilitation centers to expedite your healing and strengthen your claim.
After any accident, insurers may employ scam-like tactics, such as delaying investigations, issuing lowball offers, disputing liability, and downplaying injuries, to protect their bottom line. By meticulously documenting the crash, avoiding self-incriminating statements, obtaining prompt medical treatment, and hiring skilled legal representation, you can safeguard your rights and secure fair compensation.
When you need a top-tier personal injury lawyer in Pennsylvania, trust Sharma Law Office. Call Sharma Law Office now to schedule your free case evaluation, and let us advocate for the recovery and support you deserve, confront insurers head-on, fight bad-faith practices, and pursue justice on your behalf.