QuestionQUESTION: I have not been ready to file my bodily injury claim but the other car insurance wanted me to present them with the updated bills and medical records. I have not provided any medical related documents and bills yet since my injury. However, I have informed the other insurance about my injury. I think the other car insurance tries to settle and close the case. I do not want to settle it right now until I feel no any potential problems. Can I just wait for such as a half or one year instead of submission of the bills and medical records right now? How shall I do?
ANSWER: Hi Ray,
You have a brilliant response to the adjuster's attempt to close the claim early. I cannot tell you how many times re: early auto injury settlements Doctor Settlement warned insurance adjusters are trying to take advantage of the victim. I think you are smart to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement. You may still need some treatments when you send in the demand letter, and that is OK, but just make sure that there will be no surprises in the prognosis for future problems.
It will be the insurance adjuster who usually wants to settle early. That usually plays right into the strategy of the insurance company. Here is page from my website that shows in detail why you should never make an early personal injury insurance claims settlement http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0211.htm
I know that you think this is going on too far with this one topic, Ray, but I HAVE TO TELL YOU that this is a REAL danger that I have seen many times. So just have patience a bit longer and commit yourself to read the following:
There may be a dull ache at night following a day at work or some physical activity or pain the next morning. DO NOT LET LITTLE PAINS GO UNATTENDED SINCE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THEY WILL CONTINUE OR GO AWAY. We all hope and believe that such little pains will disappear soon. But on the other hand, we have no way of knowing since this is the way serious fractures and soft tissue injuries can behave.
So, when this happens, even if a couple months or more post-treatment, do not hesitate to SEE A DOCTOR AND ATTRIBUTE THE PAIN TO THE ACCIDENT WITHOUT EQUIVOCATION. It is NEVER TOO LATE TO REPORT PERSONAL INJURIES FROM A FALL ACCIDENT http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0104.htm
"No medicine: no money"; medical costs increase worth of personal injury insurance claims http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0045.htm
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Yes, you SHOULD UPDATE the adjuster periodically—it is best to maintain that relationship AND to facilitate the building of your file at the adjuster's office. Sending interim medical reports and costs and wage loss information is a GOOD IDEA. You have to look at it from the perspective of the adjuster. She is trying to settle the claim, and she is under pressure to get that done ASAP. One early task for her is to set reserves for the file. How can she do that if you have shut her out from any information? So make a copy of EVERYTHING you have right now and get it out to the adjuster ASAP. That is the start of how she will build your claim value.
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Learn about how to handle your OWN injury claim: DO IT YOURSELF INSURANCE CLAIM SETTLEMENTS
OK, Ray, Let’s Look at self-help methods of resolving your own claim.
Here is a series of pages that you can review. Take what makes sense to you and don't worry about the rest. Just get a flavor of how the system works without spending a ton of time right now.
Just skim this one and don't spend much time on it: overview Tort Law Personal Injury Legal Claims http://www.settlementcentral.com/page3000.htm
Managing Medical Care After Auto Accident: http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0203.htm
Medical Care Documentation-the Key to Successful Personal Injury Insurance Claim Settlements http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0217.htm
Keys to a MAXIMUM INSURANCE INJURY CLAIM SETTLEMENT http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0089.htm
Use a Confidential Personal Injury Diary for TOP DOLLAR Insurance Claim Settlements http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0208.htm
Outline of questions to be expected from insurance claims adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0190.htm
Detailed listing of questions to be expected from insurance claims adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0207.htm
By the way, did you know that getting an early settlement is a favorite trick of the insurance adjusters? Please see my website wherein we show Insurance Claim Adjuster Secret Tactics http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0092.htm
Responding to Settlement Offer From Insurance Claims Adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0244.htm
Do It Yourself Advantages, or do these claims need an attorney? As for an ATTORNEY, this does not seem to be a case that involves any legal issues in dispute nor any large or complex damages. Why should you pay someone one-third to do what you can do yourself? Do-It-Yourself Personal Injury Claims; Eliminate Personal Injury Attorneys' Fees; Save Thousands of Dollars Settling Your Own Insurance Claim http://www.settlementcentral.com/page3011.htm
Without having to join my website, I have given a lot of free information on handling insurance claims without having to join as a member. Read the module at "5 Easy Steps to Do-it-Yourself Insurance Claim Settlement" http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0102.htm
This stuff is not rocket science, but it will take some effort on your part to read and cut and paste letter examples and to communicate. But hundreds of people are doing it each day, and they are getting good results.
What if you get only two-thirds the way to your settlement goal? Well, you can get as big a settlement as you can and then turn it over to an attorney and save a lot of fees. Thus, you could go it alone just to get an insurance settlement offer, and then take that insurance settlement offer to a personal injury attorney, thus exempting the amount of the offer from her fees. Do It Yourself Personal Injury Settlement Offer Reduces Personal Injury Attorney Fees http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0109.htm
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FINAL TOPIC, Ray: Effective communication with insurance claims adjusters. Establish Firm, Professional, and Positive Relationships With the Insurance Injury Claims Adjuster http://www.settlementcentral.com/page0059.htm
Always communicate with the adjuster in writing, showing your own analysis of value. It is OK I guess to have one call or so, but no more. Always have your information and ammunition in writing to give to the adjuster.
Let her know that you are FIRM IN YOUR RESOLVE to get what you are demanding (NOT "asking", since that invites a counter-offer, but instead "demanding" as fair and reasonable compensation) by asking him what the options are to resolve the matter fairly should he not agree to a reasonable claim value. In other words, let him know that you will go through with a court filing if need be.
Remember these tips, do your homework, print out your evidence, show resolve to get your fair settlement, and you will DO JUST FINE.
I trust that my extra time here has produced some information that has been of value to you, and thus I would respectfully request that you take the time to locate the FEEDBACK FORM on this site and leave some feedback for me.
Best Wishes,
Dr. Settlement, J.D. (Juris Doctor)
http://www.SettlementCentral.Com
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QUESTION: If NO Dr OFFICE VISITS but just wait for such as another 6-12 months, will it be helpful for the settlement negotiations later or it just wastes time?
AnswerHi Ray,
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate that.
As for waiting a year with no further doctor appointments: Ahh . . . . now you have come to another problem: rotting fruit on the tree. You want to pick fruit when it is ripe. That is when you have reached or are close to maximum medical improvement, BUT still have some doctor visits to go to.
That way, there is incentive on the part of the adjuster to settle so that she can avoid the risk of having to pay for a continuing string of treatments.
Now, for an extreme example, let's say you waited for eighteen months post treatment to send a demand letter. There is no risk to the adjuster. Your injuries and treatment are old news. You have long since returned to normal life.
Hence, my thought is that you keep track of the times you have had a dull ache following a day of activity. At night or the next day if you have that ache, then THAT is a legitimate reason to return to the doctor.
Hence, you will have a doctor's report a month or so from now. Get your demand letter out after you have had some good solid physical activity and no pain. No need to wait for a year.
Best wishes,
Dr. Settlement, J.D. (Juris Doctor)
www.settlementcentral.com
