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PA Accident Injury Claim Questions & Answers
Ostroff Injury Law responds to your top questions that we have received about dealing with an insurance company after an accident.
Ostroff Injury Law works with accident injury claimants in Pennsylvania and we recommend that you talk to a lawyer about your case toll free at (888) 808-1340.
We’ve found that insurance companies are willing to try almost anything to avoid paying accident victims the accident injury settlements that they deserve and that they are legally entitled to pursuant to their insurance contracts. During 2009, the hottest political topic was reform of healthcare and health insurance companies. The desire for reform continues to highlight the distrust the country has for insurance companies. Our experience echoes this.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. In a slip and fall claim, does the insurance company need past medical records? First and foremost, we recommend that you do not allow an insurance company access to past medical records but instead require the insurance company to request medical information from your lawyer.
You need a qualified attorney to decide what information an insurance company is entitled to. This often depends on the circumstances surrounding your accident. It also depends on whether the insurance company is seeking this information because they are paying your medical bills or because they are trying to settle your claim for pain and suffering. Do your self a favor and don’t open up your medical history to the insurance company without the right attorney in your corner. By doing this, you are putting them in control of your injury claim.
2. What are insurance companies responsible for in an accident? Generally, insurance companies are responsible for reimbursing accident victims for all of the losses they sustained in an accident including: pain and suffering, lost income, medical care, disability and the inability to enjoy those things that you did before you were injured.
3. Are Insurance Companies Entitled to Phone Records? Insurance companies are not entitled to all of your phone records. Often, they seek your phone records to determine if you were using a cell phone around the time of an accident. You should require that an insurance company request your phone records through your lawyer and not directly through the phone company. Do not give them the right to do this directly. Let an attorney who is in your corner handle this for you.
4. Should I sign a Medical Records Authorization for an Accident? No, you should not. If you do then you give your insurance company permission to speak directly to your doctor and to obtain written statements from your doctor.
Your case will turn on your doctor’s medical opinions. Your doctor will answer questions about your injuries in a written report. Be sure that you have hired a skilled attorney who knows how to put these important questions to your doctor. Do not trust the insurance company to ask these questions in a fair way. Once your doctor commits his opinion to writing, you are stuck with it. Instead, you should have your insurance company obtain medical information through you lawyer only.
5. How Long Can an Insurance Company Not Pay You After an Accident? An insurance company should pay you as soon as a car accident settlement is reached. The best way to reach a fair, equitable and prompt settlement is by hiring an experienced lawyer who focuses on personal injury claims only.
6. Should I talk to the At-Fault Insurance Company? No, you should hire a lawyer to talk to the at fault insurance company. Every word you say to them can be twisted and used against you. The only reason they will request a recorded statement from you is so they can use it against you.
7. Should I Speak to an Insurance Adjuster After an Auto Accident? No, the insurance adjuster will record your statement and use your words against you later in an attempt to reduce your accident settlement. . Let your lawyer talk to the insurance company for you.
8. If I Have Limited Tort Should I Just Take the First Offer the Insurance Adjuster Makes? No! Insurance companies want you to settle quickly for less money than a good lawyer will recover for you. Limited tort coverage has important exceptions and you may be entitled to a substantial recovery despite what your insurance adjuster tells you. Do not accept a limited tort settlement without speaking with a lawyer.
9. Do I Need to Speak with a Lawyer to Make Sure You are Getting the Top Settlement for Your Accident Injury Case? Yes! You do need to speak to a lawyer to make sure you are getting the top settlement for your accident injury case. The insurance company profits by getting you to accept the lowest possible settlement for your accident. Despite what your insurance adjuster tells you, you are likely to settle for more money with the help of a lawyer because a lawyer levels the playing field. If the insurance company has a team of lawyers on their side and handle thousands of injury claims, shouldn’t you hire the right lawyer to represent you?
10. Is it True that Accident Victims Recover Higher more Money with a Good Lawyer representing them? Yes, check this fact out!
Insurers know, and tell their adjusters during training, that in the most common personal injury claims, “[r]epresented claims [when an injured person uses an attorney] settle for 2-3 times more than unrepresented claims [when a person deals directly with the insurer].” Allstate Unrepresented Adjuster Training Manual, July 1995.
Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer
Accident victims who hire an experienced lawyer are at an advantage when settling accident claims in Pennsylvania. Insurance companies want you to settle for as little money as possible. Ostroff Injury Law wants to level the playing field and help you settle your claim for top dollar! Call us toll-free (888) 808-1340 or contact us online today!
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