Myth #1 “You don’t need a lawyer.”

Truth: You need a lawyer because this is probably your first serious insurance company claim and you are up against a professional insurance adjuster, backed by a team of lawyers.

Insurance companies make billions of dollars by paying claimants less. The less they pay you, the more they make. The less your adjuster gets you to accept, the happier his boss is.

We see client after client frustrated by trying to deal with an insurance adjuster directly, only to be offered a small fraction of the money we end up recovering for them. (more…)

Myth #2 Your insurance adjuster is a nice and trustworthy guy who is here to help you.

Truth: He’s only a nice guy if he wins! At his job, he only wins when you lose. At Ostroff Injury Law, we only win when you win.

You are not more important to your insurance adjuster then his job, or him getting a raise or promotion.

Successful insurance company adjusters will act like your best friend… as long as he thinks he can win. Your adjuster knows that if you don’t know what your case is worth, then he is your expert! This is playing right into his hands. (more…)

Myth #3 “Your injuries were not from this accident. Everybody has a bad back by your age!”

Truth: If your pain started as a result of an accident, then you’re entitled to compensation for this pain!

If your doctor or hospital billed your auto insurance company for your medical care, then they are of the opinion that your injuries are from your automobile accident. Your insurance adjuster may tell you that your spine problems are “degenerative” which means “not from an accident.” While your x-rays may show degenerative changes, if these areas of your body didn’t hurt until after your auto accident, then the insurance company is responsible for your pain and suffering.

Even if you had pre-accident pain or surgery in an area that hurts worse after you were in an accident, you are entitled to money for your pain and suffering. (more…)

Myth #4 “You chose limited tort so you’re not entitled to compensation for pain and suffering.”

Truth: There are several important exceptions to Limited Tort where you can still be entitled to money for your pain and suffering.

Soon after an accident, long before the seriousness of your injuries are known, your insurance adjuster will try and talk you out of seeking a recovery because you chose limited tort. If your injuries turn out to be more serious, such as a herniated disc in your back or neck, if you need surgery, or if you suffer from any physical problems that last long enough, you may still be able to recover for your pain and suffering. (more…)

Myth #5 “You’ll wait forever to get paid if you hire a lawyer.”

Truth: The longer your pain lasts, the more your case is worth. This is why the insurance adjuster wants you to settle quickly!

If you desperately need money before your case settles, we have a solution for this as well.

At Ostroff Injury Law, we don’t get paid until you get paid. Delaying your money only delays our fee. We will push hard to get you your money as soon as we can. (more…)

Myth #6 “If you sign the insurance company’s medical authorization, they will settle your case sooner.”

Truth: One of the biggest mistakes that accident victims make is to give the other guy’s insurance company access to their private, personal medical records.

The insurance companies don’t make billions of dollars by doing favors for you. By giving your adjuster access to your very private and personal medical records, you are allowing him full access to information that he can now control. (more…)

Myth #7 “The insurance adjuster can help you better if you give him permission to record your statement about your accident?”

Truth: The only reason your insurance adjuster wants to speak with you or record your statement is so that he can use it against you later.

For instance, if shortly after your accident, your insurance adjuster asks you about your injuries, he is hoping that you will not tell him about everything that hurts. Being a professional, he may even cut you off so you don’t finish answering his question. That way, if you complain about knee pain later on, he will use your statement from after the accident to argue that you didn’t complain about your knee in your statement, so your knee injury is not from the accident.

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