After you’ve been sent into a crash by a careless Bakersfield driver, your battle with car insurance companies is just beginning. The way you file your claim, the evidence you provide, and the unfair treatment you accept can affect the success of your case.
You’ll have to get aggressive with a large insurance company like Allstate. You’ll have to avoid making comments that they can twist to hurt your case. You’ll want to hit back with evidence if they try to swap the blame in the accident. There are some other tactics to be ready for.
Filing a Claim with Allstate Online
Allstate has a website and app for their customers to file claims with.
But if you aren’t a customer, you’ll likely have to file a claim over the phone by calling 1-800-255-7828. This is the option you’ll want if you are struck by an Allstate customer. You can check the status of your Allstate claim online, even if you aren’t a customer.
When you are ready to make a call, things will go faster if you have some of this information, or all of it:
- The driver’s Allstate Policy Number
- The driver’s car VIN number
- An Insurance Card from the at-fault driver
- The driver’s name
- The driver’s phone number
- The driver’s address
- The location, time of day, and date of the crash
Insurance Tactics to Keep an Eye On
Allstate is a major insurance provider in the U.S., and they must remain profitable. Sometimes that means they leave car accident victims waiting on support.
It’s just one of the tactics to weaken the victim’s resolve (and finances), so that they are softened up enough to accept any settlement offer sent their way.
These are a few of the strategies a car insurance company might use to limit what accident victims receive:
Disputing Who Was at Fault. An insurance company’s first move will be to see if there’s wiggle room on who was to blame. They’ll argue against a Bakersfield police accident report when it says you were innocent. They’ll defy the evidence if they can get away with it. A lawyer fully investigates your case and collects all the proof that’s needed. Maison Law would even call in accident reconstruction teams if necessary.
Relying on Photos. Allstate asks those filing claims to submit photos. In some cases, they even send estimates based on photos. This may not be the best idea, though. A speedy check seems nice, but if the real damage isn’t revealed in a photo, victims may get far less than they need to get a car running safely again. Victims could also find they still have pain from the collision, which turns out to be an injury. They may accept less than they need to pay for a full recovery.
Fast Settlements. Car accident victims should be reminded that quick and easy claims don’t always mean they are getting the most in support for their damages and injuries. Insurers may send over a speedy settlement. They hope victims don’t know the full extent of their recovery time and the costs. Victims can sign off on a settlement, only to need surgery or more physical therapy in a month. But since they’ve approved a quick settlement, they must pay for any future care themselves.
The Runaround. Insurers can also move very slowly, sometimes on purpose. You can be stuck at home, unable to work, with medical bills piling up on the kitchen table. When you call to get things moving on your settlement, you can be transferred between six different adjusters. It’s all an opportunity to make you wait and become desperate. When they finally send over a settlement, you jump at it, not knowing it leaves you with some of the bills to pay.
Twisting Words from Recorded Statements. Allstate may call and ask you for a recorded statement about what happened. Refuse. You are not obligated to give this statement. Only provide basic facts. Insurers do this in the hopes you make a statement that they can twist later to hurt your case. Find out what not to say to car insurance adjusters.
When a Lawyer May Be Necessary Precaution
An experienced lawyer won’t be surprised by anything an insurance company does to save money. They’ll know how to fight back on your behalf.
This is especially important if you suffered a serious injury in your accident and another driver was to blame. The higher the hospital bills go, the harder Allstate may make it on victims to earn support. Especially support that arrives in time.
A lawyer can handle the frustrating claims process, keep blame on the right driver, and then demand the maximum in support for victims. This is often much more than victims could earn by filing a claim themselves.
Discussing Your Insurance Claim with a Skilled Bakersfield Car Accident Attorney
If you feel uncertain about whether you need the help of a lawyer, there’s an easy way to find out. Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation consultation.
If we can’t help you earn more for your claim, we’ll be upfront with you. But when claims involve serious injuries, like broken bones, neck and back injuries, or brain injuries, it can pay to speak to a lawyer.
You also don’t have to worry about having the money to hire Maison Law if you need us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our lawyer’s fee comes out of the settlement money that Allstate must hand over to you.
