How to Negotiate a Truck Injury Settlement with The Hartford

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The first thing to remember when dealing with any insurance company, including The Hartford, is that they are not your friends. After you are injured in an 18-wheeler wreck, the relationship between you and the insurance company is adversarial in nature. That is true whether or not you are dealing with your own insurance company, or that of the at-fault driver.

The Hartford, just like many of the other major insurance companies, is a multi-billion-dollar corporation, and it made its fortune by selling as many insurance policies as possible and then paying the smallest amount possible on its claims.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an 18-wheeler wreck, call the truck accident attorneys of Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 for a free consultation with one of our skilled truck injury lawyers.

How to Handle a Claims Adjusters from The Hartford

If you are injured in a trucking accident, it is inadvisable to attempt to negotiate your bodily injury claim yourself. Hiring an experienced attorney who specializes in personal injury is a must. If you are dealing with The Hartford directly and expecting them to treat you fairly and pay you fair compensation for your injuries, you will likely be disappointed. This is true whether you are involved in a minor collision or a more severe impact.

It is likely that a claims adjuster from The Hartford will try to settle with you very early on in the process for a low-dollar figure, before you know the true extent of your injuries. The adjuster will do this in an attempt to limit the company’s exposure. Settling your bodily injury claim early on could be a very serious mistake. Once you settle your case, there is no going back for any more money. If your injuries turn out to be more serious than you initially believed, which happens frequently, or if you need more treatment, then you will end up having to pay the bills.

Furthermore, an experienced trucking attorney knows what to look for to maximize the value of your case and to make sure that valuable evidence does not disappear. Overseeing the investigation of a trucking case takes specialized knowledge. Frequently, the best route is to hire an expert to inspect the 18-wheeler for safety violations and vehicle defects, and to download the ECM data–or “black box” data–from the truck as soon as possible. The data and findings of the investigation can dramatically affect the value of your bodily injury claim, but these experts can be very expensive to hire on your own.

It is also imperative that you send out the proper letters and notices to the insurance company and the trucking company to ensure they do not lose or destroy valuable evidence. In these scenarios, time is of the utmost importance. Witnesses’ memories fade, and evidence disappears. An experienced attorney knows the pitfalls and the proper way to make sure the valuable evidence is preserved and recovered.

If you try to negotiate a settlement with The Hartford on your own, the odds are that they will want you to give a recorded statement.  It is rarely beneficial to give a recorded statement, and often it can work against you. If you leave out a small detail, remember things a little differently later, or your pain increases over the next few days, The Hartford can use those discrepancies to your detriment.  Whatever you say in those recorded statements can be used against you later.  The best route is to refrain from giving a recorded statement.

For all of these reasons, if you are injured in a trucking wreck, it is extremely important that you seek legal representation as soon as possible to protect your rights and fight for your best interests.

Get Help from Skilled Truck Accident Lawyers

At Zinda Law Group, our trucking attorneys have the knowledge and resources necessary to help you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and more. Call us today at (800) 863-5312 for a completely free consultation with one of our experienced truck accident lawyers. Meetings with attorneys by appointment only.