Personal Injury Law

The Great Insurance Lie?

By Greg Jones

Have a worker's compensation case? Let me guess, the adjuster has told you there is no reason to hire a lawyer because worker's comp benefits are limited and you'll only end up getting the same settlement and you'll have to give part of it to a lawyer…why not keep it all? This is the Great Lie.

It is true; worker's comp benefits are limited. For example, many states, North Carolina included, don't pay for pain and suffering or other types of collateral damages. What is not true is that you'll get the same settlement in every case. There are many different ways to value a case depending on the severity of the injury and possible length of disability. I can assure you (after having worked for the insurance companies for years) that the adjuster will offer you the LOWEST value and say that is all you're entitled to. Her tag line will be "You can either take this amount now, or you can take it later minus what you have to pay your lawyer." If that were true, why would she care if you were going to hire a lawyer? Why even bring it up? She was going to pay the same amount no matter what, right?

Not right. If someone tells you not to do something, it should spark your thought and make you say "why doesn't she want me to contact a lawyer?" The most probable reason isn't that she cares about you and just wants you to have all the money. It is more likely that she's trying to low ball your settlement and hopes you'll believe that Great Insurance Lie.

Full post as published by Charlotte Personal Injury Lawyer on November 13, 2009 (boomark / email).