Insurance Companies and Their Process of Adjustment, or, Can a Robot Settle Your Personal Injury Claim?

You went out shopping today. You looked at spring flowers and looked forward to the new garden you’re about to put in. You have so many ideas! You’re on your way home feeling pretty good. Then WHAM. You get hit from behind by a distracted driver. After the shock of a motor vehicle accident and the damage to your car, you then have to consider that you’ve been injured and may well be injured for months, or years. After you’ve reached MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement), as determined by your doctor, it is time to settle your claim (but remember, no matter how long your treatment you need to settle before the statute of limitations). You have already discussed this accident and the impact it has had on your life. The impact was nearly catastrophic! Your injuries impacted your home life, your professional life, and your social life. It may have affected your emotional well-being. You’ve even calculated that your compensation should be – this much, and you expect that others will certainly agree. That is until you start dealing with the insurance adjustor. How can the insurance company possibly imagine that you will agree that the paltry sum they are offering can compensate you? This is impossible you think, aren’t insurance adjusters human, after all? Well, not exactly. While the adjustors are human, adjustors use software to determine what your injuries and inconvenience are worth. No robot can imagine your not being able to pick up your youngest child for six months, or the fractured relationships you now have at your work place because of your time away for appointments, or the added responsibilities your husband took on while you were recovering, and the strain on your marriage. There are several software products that insurance companies use. While they are not exactly the same, they serve the same purpose. That is to reduce your pain and suffering to a numeric score. This score is equated with a dollar amount. These software packages have been programmed to evaluate claims in a way for the insurance company to justify paying the absolute least amount possible. The robot doesn’t take into account your inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, stress, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering. Your attorney is able to negotiate why your injuries are worth more than an adjuster’s first, second or third offer. You may even wind up in trial where a jury can understand those human emotions that a robot cannot. These software programs even know who your attorney is, and his or her willingness to go to trial. They also know if you don’t have an attorney at all. If you have suffered injuries as the result of an accident, through no fault of your own, please call Harding & Associates to get a better picture of your rights. We can be reached at 800-878-7888 or 303-762-9500. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a skilled, experienced personal injury attorney who can evaluate your case and assist in developing a strategy to fight to obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Source: Blog