Sometimes, clients hire us after unsuccessfully trying to settle their personal injury claim on their own following an auto accident. Discussing your claim with an adjuster on your own is almost always unwise.

The auto insurance companies want you to believe that they are “on your side”, that they are your “good neighbor” and that you are in their “good hands”. It is easy to fall for the slick advertising, because, after all, we paid our premiums when they came due and we want to believe that the auto insurance company is going to provide the care we need.

The auto insurance company wants to keep you in the dark about these three truths:

1. The auto insurance company’s main focus is to minimize the money they pay out when you are injured or need your car repaired after an auto accident. This is true even of your insurer if you make a claim on your own auto policy (as in the case with uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage). All auto insurance carriers work for their shareholders, not you.

2. Following an auto accident or truck accident, the auto insurance company puts its claims adjusters, lawyers and investigators to work against you. They will try to get you confused and frustrated with the process so that you accept a lowball offer to settle your claim.

3. Underinsured motorist coverage is cheap and you should purchase it. Missouri law only requires you to carry uninsured motorist coverage. Underinsured motorist coverage provides additional funds for you to pay medical bills and compensate other harms if the person who caused your accident does not have enough coverage to fully reimburse you. Most auto insurance companies won’t tell you about this.

If you want a fair settlement, and someone who will truly fight for you, a personal injury attorney is your best bet. Auto insurance companies are in the business of trying to find ways to reject claims, or at least pay as little as possible on claims. If you are the victim of an auto accident, it’s especially important that you hire a personal injury attorney to ensure that you get what is fair and reasonable for your claim. Contact us today if you’ve been injured in an auto or truck accident.