Q: I was injured in a car accident. The adjuster made me a settlement offer. I provided my bank account information, and the insurance company sent an electronic payment to my bank account. I never signed a release. I didn’t realize the extent of my injuries. Can I get reopen my claim and demand more money?
A: Yes, depending on the circumstances, you may be able to reopen the claim. Even if you signed a settlement release, in addition to receiving those direct deposit funds in your bank account, you may be able to void the release.
Auto insurance carriers have “rapid response teams.” The goal of the teams is to get car accident victims to sign releases as soon as possible after an accident. They will even make house calls to your home. The adjuster wants you to sign the release before you talk to an attorney, and before you realize the extent of your injuries and need for potentially costly future medical care.
Geico is notorious for doing this.
Insurance adjusters play dirty. They will be very nice and responsive, and act concerned about you. The reality is the opposite. The adjuster doesn’t care about you. The adjuster cares about closing out your claim for crumbs, if they can get away with it. The adjuster knows that the quicker he or she can get you to sign a release, the more attaboys the adjuster will get from his or her supervisor. The conduct of these rapid response teams is despicable.
The bigger the impact to your car, the more violent the impact, then all the more incentive for the adjuster to shut your claim down quickly. The adjuster wants the claim settled before you realize the true extent of your injuries. You tell the adjuster you’ve suffered headaches since the accident. The adjuster sees dollar signs. The adjuster knows that if you see a neurologist and get a concussion diagnosis, now your claim could be worth six figures.
If an insurance adjuster snookered you into providing your bank account information, and then direct deposited money into your account, and is now claiming your claim is settled, call McGee, Lerer & Associates. Let’s talk about what they did, and what you signed or didn’t sign. We’ll review all of the facts, and then give your our honest opinion as to whether we think we can reopen your claim. We charge nothing unless we’re successful in getting more money for you. The more serious your injuries, the more important it is for you to get the opinion of an experienced personal injury attorney, who will know the true value of your claim.
Contact McGee, Lerer & Associates for a free consultation 24/7.