Charlotte, NC Personal Injury Lawyer
It is a common practice for insurance adjusters to use certain tactics to delay or ignore negotiation or settlement of a claim. An experienced Charlotte personal injury attorney will be familiar with such tactics and advise you on how to respond.
Reservation of Rights Letter
If there are any doubts lingering about insurance coverage, the adjuster might decide to delay making a settlement offer. Your Charlotte personal injury attorney will tell you that this will usually become apparent when the adjuster sends you (the policyholder) a reservation of rights letter, which notifies you that:
- The policy may not cover certain losses.
- The insurance company is reserving its right to deny coverage in the future.
If you received this letter, then your Charlotte personal injury attorney will take it as a sign that the adjuster wishes to avoid engaging in settlement negotiation. He should keep constant contact with the adjuster to find out whether the policy covers the losses.
A Charlotte Personal Injury Lawyer Explains the Ostrich Method
Your Charlotte personal injury attorney may not receive any response from adjusters when it comes to phone calls, letter or fax inquiries. It is possible that the adjuster is simply bogged down with a huge caseload and doesn’t have time to call back immediately. But this could also be a stalling tactic. The adjuster may be employing the “ostrich method”—avoiding contact (sticking their heads in the sand like an ostrich) because he is not ready to answer questions about the claim value.
Adjuster Claims That He Cannot Locate Claim File
Another tactic is when the adjuster claims that he cannot discuss valuation with your Charlotte personal injury lawyer because he either cannot access or locate the claim file. This is a plausible excuse, since in most claims operations, the adjuster’s file is expected to be located in central filing area with limited access rather than the adjuster’s desk. Furthermore, it’s not unusual for the file to get misplaced, lost or misfiled in busy claim offices. Your lawyer may suspect that the adjuster is simply trying to stall negotiation, but there’s no way to be sure if that is the case.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Bice Law
The personal injury firm of Bice Law will examine your case to determine the type and amount of damages that your injury warrants, including payments for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and any permanent disability. We’ll determine whether an out-of-court settlement or trial is the best strategy to obtain maximum benefits for you or your family. If you have suffered injury or harm because of someone else’s actions, take the first step to protect your legal rights – contact the personal injury firm of Bice Law serving both North and South Carolina. You only have a limited time after your injury to file a claim, so act quickly. Call 877-BICE-877 today or submit an online request to get a free consultation with a personal injury attorney. We serve families across both North Carolina and South Carolina. Results are how we measure success – we’ve built a strong reputation both in and out of the courtroom, and we’ll put our experience and expertise to work on your behalf.
