When you’re injured in a car accident, everything changes in an instant - your health, your finances, and your peace of mind. Whether the crash happened in Appleton, Green Bay, or anywhere else in Northern WI, we want to help. At Natasha Misra Law, we understand what you’re going through and are committed to helping you get back on your feet—physically, emotionally, and financially.
Let’s take a look at something that can become a major roadblock to your recovery, the insurance companies, and how a car accident attorney can help you.
When you’ve been in a car accident, insurance companies may seem helpful at first, but their primary goal is to minimize what they pay out. Here are some common tactics they use to deny or reduce your claim:
Offering a Quick, Lowball Settlement: Insurance companies often push for a quick settlement, offering a sum far lower than what you may actually need. They hope you’ll accept before realizing the full extent of your injuries and financial losses. It may seem tempting, especially if you have medical bills piling up, but accepting this early offer can leave you short on funds later when more expenses arise.
Disputing Liability: Even if it’s clear that the other driver was at fault, insurance companies might still try to argue that you were partially or fully responsible for the accident. In Wisconsin, your compensation can be reduced if you're found partially at fault due to the comparative negligence rule. Their goal is to reduce their liability and, ultimately, your payout.
Downplaying Your Injuries: Insurance adjusters often question the severity of your injuries, suggesting that they aren’t as serious as you claim or that they were pre-existing. They may request access to your medical records, hoping to find something that weakens your claim.
Delaying the Process: By dragging out the claims process, insurers hope you’ll become frustrated and settle for less just to resolve the situation. The longer they wait, the more desperate accident victims can become, leading them to accept a lower offer than they deserve.
Pressuring You to Make Recorded Statements: Insurance companies may ask for a recorded statement soon after the accident, hoping you’ll say something they can use against you later. These statements can be taken out of context and used to downplay the severity of the accident or your injuries.
Understanding these tactics is key to protecting your rights and making sure you receive the compensation you deserve. At Natasha Misra Law, we know how to deal with these insurance company strategies, and we’re here to fight for your best interests every step of the way. Don’t let them push you into a settlement that doesn’t reflect your true losses, let us handle the negotiations for you.
Natasha Misra didn’t just become a personal injury attorney by chance. Helping people has always been her passion. She saw the devastating effects car, motorcycle, and truck accidents could have on individuals and their families. People are often left facing mounting medical bills, long-term disabilities, and the loss of essential things like their ability to work or their only vehicle. Natasha founded her firm to make a difference in these people’s lives by offering personalized attention and aggressive representation, and she can help you too.
We want to get you back on your feet and on the road as soon as possible. Our Milwaukee law firm represents all personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay unless we win. Contact Natasha Misra Law today for a free consultation. Let us help you secure the compensation you deserve. Your recovery starts here.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, most vehicles depreciate twenty-percent within the first year. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, auto insurance will likely cover the value of the vehicle at the time of the accident. But, what if the value is less than what you still owe on your auto loan?
Gap insurance covers what your standard auto policy does not. Rather than being left to make loan payments on a vehicle you cannot drive, gap insurance makes sure your auto loan is paid off.
So, what exactly is gap insurance, and do you need it? Here we explain how standard insurance policies handle totaled vehicles and how gap insurance works.
Yes, auto insurance will cover your totaled car, but coverage is based on the current value of the vehicle, not the remaining balance on your auto loan which includes interest. Generally, auto insurance providers total a vehicle if the cost of repairs exceeds the actual cash value of the vehicle. If you have an outstanding auto loan on the vehicle, the insurance reimbursement will go directly to your loan provider who is the lienholder of the vehicle.
Because cars depreciate over time, it is not uncommon for this to happen. Auto insurance will make a payment to the lender for the depreciated value of the vehicle. If this is less than the outstanding balance on the loan, you will be responsible for continuing payments out-of-pocket until the loan has been paid in full, unless you have gap insurance.
If your car is stolen or totaled in an accident and you owe more than the car’s value at the time of the loss, gap insurance covers the difference between the value of the car and the remaining balance on the auto loan. Gap insurance is intended to protect you from having to make payments on a car you can no longer use. Many dealerships offer gap insurance, but it is also available as an add-on through many insurance providers.
For example, gap insurance from Toyota Financial Services (TFS) will either waive or pay the deficiency balance, or the difference between what is owed on the vehicle and what the insurance company will pay if the vehicle is declared a total loss. So, if you owe $23,000 on your vehicle and receive $20,000 from the auto insurance company, you would be responsible for $3,000 out-of-pocket. However, gap coverage from TFS would cover this $3,000 balance.
Yes, a car accident attorney will make sure your gap insurance is appropriately applied to resolve any remaining balance on your auto loan. Save yourself the headache of the back-and-forth with your loan provider and insurance company and contact Milwaukee personal injury attorney Natasha Misra Law today.
My law practice is dedicated to helping people who have suffered injuries in accidents which were not their fault. Born and raised in Milwaukee, I come from a family of medical professionals. My background and experience help me understand and represent individuals injured in accidents.
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