Common Reasons a Texas Personal Injury Settlement May Be Delayed

Personal injury claims are not resolved overnight. Although some delays are unavoidable, insurance companies often like to create delays on purpose to try to get injury victims to settle for less than the claim is worth.

The car accident lawyers in Fort Worth at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP are prepared to help you through each step of the process. We know the tactics insurance companies often use to delay the process and how to fight back to preserve the value of your claim.

Length of Treatment

Depending on the severity of your injuries, medical treatment could take days, weeks or months. Your attorney will wait until treatment is concluded to attempt to resolve your claim. This way your attorney can review your medical records, medical bills and get word from your doctor(s) about how serious your injuries are and how much it could cost to treat them in the future.

Even though waiting for treatment delays the resolution of a claim, it is important to be patient during this process. You want to make sure your attorney’s settlement demand is enough to cover the full value of your damages.

Liability Dispute

One of the most common reasons for a delay is a dispute about liability for the accident. Sometimes, these delays are inevitable due to the circumstances of an accident and how long the investigation into the cause of a crash takes.

But often, insurance companies deny liability, forcing you and your attorney to gather more evidence to prove the other driver’s negligence caused your injuries. This often means tracking down witnesses, gathering more evidence from the crash, such as surveillance camera footage, hiring experts to reconstruct an accident scene and more.

Even though proving liability may take time and effort, it could lead to irrefutable evidence that the insurance company is liable for your damages.

The insurance company is hoping to run the clock out on the statute of limitations. If you do not file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations runs out, you lose the right to do so. That is why you need an attorney who can determine when the insurance company may be dragging its feet.

Delaying Negotiations

Even with proof of fault and documented medical records proving your injuries, the insurance company may continue to delay a settlement. These companies use this tactic to make injury victims desperate. As medical bills pile up, victims may be tempted to just take what the insurance company is offering.

Without a licensed attorney to stand up against these companies on your behalf, you may make the mistake of accepting an offer that barely covers the true cost of your claim.

Call a Licensed Texas Attorney for Assistance

Our attorneys have dealt with many insurance companies and are familiar with the tactics they often use to delay the process. We know when delays are legitimate and when the insurance company is trying to devalue your claim.

We do not charge you anything up front and only get paid if we recover compensation on your behalf, so there is no risk to you.

Schedule your free consultation today: (817) 920-9000.