You deserve a full and fair settlement if you are a TBI victim. However, navigating the claim process can be challenging and frustrating. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses that prioritize their shareholders. They look at you as an adversary whose interests clash with their own.
Stay Patient
A traumatic brain injury can cause permanent injuries that affect your life in many ways. You might be unable to work at your previous job, engage in hobbies you love, or even remember things daily. These changes will likely cause financial hardship for you and your family, so seeking compensation for your loss is important.
An insurance company’s goal is maximizing profits while minimizing payments, often delaying approval or making low-ball settlement offers for less than you deserve. Getting angry at an adjuster or throwing insults is not helpful and will not change an unjust decision. An experienced attorney can help you navigate the complexities of insurance claims so you get the compensation you deserve. You should seek legal guidance after a brain injury to discuss your case and learn how to fight the insurance company for what you deserve.
Fight for Your Rights
A TBI’s physical, emotional, and financial fallout can be catastrophic for victims and their families. Medical treatments and long-term care expenses can drain savings and bankrupt a family. TBI lawyers help victims fight against quick settlement offers that do not adequately account for their expenses and future needs. In their attempt to minimize payouts, insurance companies often use tactics like questioning the severity of an injury or suggesting that symptoms are due to a pre-existing condition. Your attorney knows insurance companies’ tactics and will handle all communications, gather evidence, and file a lawsuit on your behalf. Thorough documentation is crucial in building a strong case against the insurance company.
Hire a Lawyer
Regardless of whether your TBI was caused by a car accident, workplace incident, or other event, you should work with a personal injury lawyer familiar with brain injuries and their various symptoms. An attorney who does not have experience in this field may miss important aspects of your case or fail to secure a fair settlement.
Insurance companies are making profits and will do whatever it takes to reduce or deny your claim. This can cause you to miss out on the money you need to pay for your medical treatments and cover other expenses, like lost income. A lawyer can focus on your recovery while negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf. They can also help you document your medical needs and costs, collaborate with doctors and experts, and compellingly present complex medical information.
Document Everything
Whether you have already filed an insurance claim or are in the process of a lawsuit, it’s important to document everything. In many cases, this will include medical records that show your injuries, treatment, and symptoms, as well as testimony from your healthcare providers, witnesses, and experts in the field. This documentation will help you prove that a TBI occurred and how it’s impacted your life. It can also help you establish the value of your injury and how much you deserve for your losses. Without this evidence, an insurer may be tempted to settle for far less than you need.
Don’t Settle for Less
Insurance companies frequently try to pay victims far less than their injuries are worth. They can do this because many of the symptoms caused by TBIs are invisible.
Insurance adjusters can use this to their advantage, claiming that your symptoms are fake or exaggerated. To avoid giving them this opening, ensure you get the necessary X-rays and MRI scans as soon as possible after your accident. You must do these things to have the financial compensation to cover your medical bills, income losses, and other damages.