Waiting to get a settlement check from your car accident case in Tennessee can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year. Even though you want compensation as soon as possible to pay for accumulating medical bills and other accident-related damages, insurance companies often find reasons to reduce, delay, or deny settlement payouts.
At OEB Law, PLLC, we know which factors impact how long it takes to settle a car accident case in Tennessee. We understand why insurance companies drag out claim settlements, but we also know what happens if you accept a check or settle a claim too quickly. If you have concerns about an insurance claim you filed or you want to file a claim, call 865-546-1111 today for a free, no-obligation legal consultation.
We handle all aspects of insurance claims, from filing the claim to negotiating a settlement on your behalf. We protect your rights during the process and provide aggressive advocacy to make sure you get the compensation you deserve for your car accident.
What Could Delay a Settlement in My Case?
Several factors could cause a delay in settling your case.
Your Medical Condition
Before negotiating your claim, we wait until you fully recover from your injuries, know your future medical needs, or reach the highest level of medical improvement possible for your condition.
We do not settle injury accident claims until we know our client’s current health status and future medical needs. Once we settle a claim, we cannot return to the insurance company and ask for additional compensation.
Gathering Evidence for Your Claim
It takes time to secure evidence to build a strong case. Our case has to prove the negligence of the at-fault driver caused an accident and you suffered injuries as a result. We can help you prove negligence by collecting such evidence as:
- A police report of your accident;
- Your medical records that detail your injuries;
- Photographs of the accident scene;
- Eyewitness statements about the accident; and
- Your vehicle repair or replacement costs.
Some documents take longer than others to obtain. For instance, if your accident involved a semi-truck or other large commercial truck, we would need to follow a special procedure to demand the preservation of specific evidence associated with your accident.
Contesting Liability
Insurance companies want to save money. To do this, an adjuster might accuse you of contributing to your own injuries. This time-consuming insurance tactic requires us to contest the accusation if we find, through our investigation, the auto insurer’s policyholder caused the crash and you did not contribute to the accident that caused your injuries.
Independent Medical Examinations
Before calculating the value of your claim, an insurance adjuster may want to speak with you personally about your injuries, request a medical authorization, or ask you to undergo an independent medical examination (IME). This process takes time because the insurer’s doctor must schedule you for this special appointment.
Insurance companies sometimes try to minimize an accident victim’s injuries by selecting a specific doctor to conduct an IME. Do not expect this doctor’s findings to match your personal doctor’s report about your injuries.
If this happens, we know how to counter and protect you against any effort from the insurance company to devalue your claim or deny a fair settlement. We will give you legal guidance should this issue arise during your car accident case.
Negotiating With the Insurance Company
Negotiations can take months if the insurance company puts up roadblocks to delay settling a car accident case. Our attorneys have more than 20 years of combined experience handling claims and negotiating settlements on behalf of our clients. We go into negotiations for the long haul to ensure that our clients receive the full compensation available. We can help you decide when to settle your claim or when to continue negotiations to fight for fair compensation.
An insurance adjuster can drag out negotiations by asking for extra documents or other information, accusing the injury victim of contributing to the accident, or giving unconvincing reasons why the company cannot pay a claim. When an insurance company refuses to negotiate fairly or denies a solid claim, we may challenge the insurer’s decision by filing a lawsuit to recover damages and resolve the case.
Call OEB Law, PLLC, Today for Settlement Help.
At OEB Law, PLLC, we understand the financial pressure you may be under because of the medical expenses and other bills you face from your car accident. We can fight to settle your claim while protecting your right to fair compensation.
Call us today at 865-546-1111 if you want help with settling an insurance claim or have questions about filing an insurance claim based on a recent car accident.