We all know that car accidents occur every day. When you are injured and not at fault, dealing with an insurance company can be a whole new world and it can be stressful. Many insurance companies use this difficult time to take advantage of people. For them, it’s a business decision as they focus on their bottom line. They look for ways to reduce the amount that they are legally obligated to pay.

Here are five tricks we’ve seen over the years in helping people find the best Illinois car accident lawyer for their case:

1. They act like they are your best buddy: Most insurance adjusters are given scripts to use to guide what they say to you. Studies have shown that if they act nice to you, you will let them take advantage of you. Their goal is to gain your trust and make you think they are on your side. It’s a con. They are not looking out for you. They are looking out for themselves. In fact, many insurance adjusters get bonuses based on how much money they can save the company by not paying out claims.

2. They follow you on your social media: Insurance companies are looking for any reason to deny your case or reduce your benefits. They will be looking at your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. to see if you are posting anything that can create a defense for them. You should never discuss your case or injuries and shouldn’t be seen doing anything that could indicate you aren’t as hurt as you say you are. This is a form of legal surveillance. They are going to see what you did for fun before your accident and argue that could be the real cause of your injuries. It’s shameful, but allowed.

3. They will ask you to give a recorded statement: It’s not unusual for an insurance adjuster to say something like, “In order to process your claim, we need to record a statement from you to obtain details about the accident.” They imply that it’s required. It’s not and you absolutely shouldn’t give one. They will ask you questions that are scripted in a way to trip you up or misinterpret what you actually mean. They also will try to get you to say something incorrect and twist that to make you seem like a liar. The bottom line is you don’t have to give a recorded statement and shouldn’t.

4. They will ask for access to all of your medical records: Often the insurance company will send you a lot of paperwork which includes authorization to obtain medical records. The release will grant them access to any medical records that you’ve ever had. They don’t have a right to that. They can see records that relate to your accident and injury. But they don’t have a right to look at records that aren’t a part of your accident at all such as pregnancy records, cancer treatment, psychological care, etc. They are hoping to go on a fishing expedition to come up with a bogus reason to deny your case. Don’t let them.

5. They will try to get you to take a quick settlement: It’s not uncommon now to get a call from someone who was injured in a car accident a week ago to call us and relay that the insurance company offered a settlement already. Their goal is to get you to close out your case while you still need medical care. They are hoping that your inexperience will work against you and save them a ton of money. It’s probably the scummiest thing that they do and if you agree to it, they might be able to enforce a settlement even if you change your mind once you learn your rights.

The bottom line is that they are looking out for themselves and not you. If you have been hurt in a car accident and want to talk to an attorney for free, you can contact us any time ta 312-346-5320. We help everywhere in Illinois.