My Insurance Company is Stalling
Following an accident, our clients are eager to receive fair compensation for their injuries. In addition to expensive medical bills, many of them cannot go back to work so they have no income coming through the door. This is a stressful time, and they hope that they can obtain compensation quickly.
Unfortunately, a quick settlement is not always possible. Insurance companies stall—that is just the reality. Many of them do so deliberately to gain the upper hand in settlement negotiations. And many of them stall because they see the accident victim does not have the assistance of an attorney.
At Naqvi Injury Law, we pride ourselves on our negotiation skills. We understand how and why insurance companies drag their feet. If you can sit patiently, then your odds of receiving maximum compensation go up dramatically. Please contact our firm to talk with a Las Vegas car accident lawyer today.
The Official Reasons an Insurance Company Moves Slowly
Insurers have many excuses for why a settlement takes so long. Some of the more common include:
- They are waiting to talk with a witness or to find evidence that shows fault.
- They need more information or paperwork about your injuries.
- The case is “complicated,” and several people are looking into it at the company.
- The case is stalled on the desk of some unnamed “supervisor” or higher up who you can’t speak to.
Trust us—insurers can come up with a reason for why you are waiting months and months to finally get a settlement offer. Rather than simply swallow what they tell you, reach out to a Las Vegas car accident lawyer today.
The Real Reasons an Insurer is Stalling
Now that we have the “official” reasons out of the way, let’s talk about the real reason that an insurer drags its feet. The simple answer is that they believe they benefit from doing so.
This belief is not wrong. Insurance companies commissioned many studies in the 1990s that showed they could increase their profits if they dragged out settlement negotiations. Consequently, this has become an industry standard. Although frustrating, your attorney understands exactly what is going on and can counter it.
Here are some of the real reasons that insurers drag their feet.
An insurer knows that you need money to pay for bills and medical care. They know how hard it is to feed your family when you can’t work. It is precisely because they know how stressed out you are that they are stalling.
The insurer’s attitude is this: hey, let’s make this person squirm a little longer and they will happily accept our small settlement. If you are desperate enough for money, you will agree to far less than you are entitled to.
Sadly, all settlements come with a waiver of claims. This means you can’t go back to the insurance company for more money once you sign on the dotted line. Insurers know this, and they hope you crack under the pressure.
Struggling to negotiate a settlement is difficult. You were not at fault for your accident, yet you are struggling financially. At some point, many people give up if the insurance company is too difficult to deal with.
Not every case settles. Instead, some victims need to file a lawsuit to vindicate their rights. However, Nevada has something called the “statute of limitations.” This is the maximum amount of time you have after an accident to file a lawsuit in court. Under our law, victims get two years in most cases to file their case.
Some insurers will try to push the case off long enough so that you end up outside the limitations period. If the insurer is successful, you will lose the ability to sue and could end up with no compensation at all. That possibility dramatically reduces any incentive an insurer has to reach a prompt settlement with you.
Why It Makes Sense to Wait Out the Insurer
There are some sensible reasons why an injured victim might wait, so let’s talk about them. For one, you might still be recovering from your injuries. As part of your settlement you can receive compensation for your medical bills. However, if you are not yet 100% recovered, you don’t know how much those bills will add up to. For this reason, it makes sense to wait until you are close to fully recovered before entering negotiations in earnest.
Another reason to wait is to find all the evidence you need. Sometimes, we need to search for surveillance video or witnesses to help bolster a case. We also might need to send you to a new doctor. Our clients benefit when we compile a complete evidentiary record in support of their claims.
Insurance Bad Faith Laws
Nevada regulates the insurance industry tightly—and for good reason. Insurers have developed a reputation for not dealing in good faith. Consequently, our state prohibits certain insurance practices as constituting “bad faith.”
For example, an insurer has probably committed bad faith when it does any of the following:
- Delays paying you
- Offers to pay less than the full value of the claim
- Denies liability even when it is obvious
- Ignores a claimant
- Does not give a valid reason for denying a claim
- Requires a ridiculous amount of paperwork
- Makes misleading statements
When an insurer commits bad faith, they can run into trouble with state regulators. They also could have to pay compensation for their bad faith. As seasoned Las Vegas car accident lawyers, we will remind insurers of their obligations to treat you fairly. These laws are often important when dealing with your own underinsured coverage insurance carrier.
How to Respond
The simplest thing you can do to fight an insurance company that is stalling is to hire a Las Vegas car accident lawyer. At Naqvi Injury Law, we can cut through the confusion and lies and make sure that insurers review your claim promptly and fairly. We never jump at the first offer but instead hold out for what you are worth.
We realize this is a difficult time. And we can discuss strategies for getting the medical care that you need while waiting for a settlement. But we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to not grab the first offer extended.
Our clients can also help speed up their cases by getting us all requested information in a timely manner. It takes valuable time to track down information and documents, like medical records. If you have them in your possession, please turn them over promptly.
We also encourage you to carefully document all communications with the insurance company. Keep copies of letters and voicemails. Write down the dates of any phone conversations, including the name of the representative you spoke with and a summary of the call.
Making the Process Easy
There is no reason to make things more difficult than they need to be. Instead of trying to negotiate with an insurer, reach out to Naqvi Injury Law today to schedule a free consultation. We can speed up the settlement process but also ensure that you do not agree to accept less than what your injuries are worth.
Our team offers a free consultation where we can review the facts of your case. If you are currently trying to negotiate your own settlement, we will gladly help you. Call us today.