Accidents can happen to anyone at any given time. It takes everyone by surprise, even the ones who’re fully prepared for it. The lucky ones get out unscathed or with just a few minor scratches. The unlucky ones, on the other hand, will have to bear serious injuries. Some victims even end up losing their lives.
Reporting the accident to the insurance company is something that all accident victims have to do. This is where problems begin. Insurance companies are miserly when it comes to offering compensation for victims. Visit this site to find out how you can tackle stubborn insurance companies.
The insurance adjuster, an agent of the insurance company, has many tricks up their sleeves to offer a sum that’s lower than what victims deserve. One such strategy is a nuisance value.
What is a Nuisance Value?
In addition to investigating the accident, the insurance adjuster also has to make the victim accept the insurance company’s offer. Accepting the victim’s offer is not profitable for the insurance company.
So, in order to close the claim quickly, the insurance adjuster will offer a miserably low amount. This low amount is called the nuisance value. It is called so because the small amount that is paid is done to make the nuisance (the victim’s settlement claim) go away.
There are many reasons why an insurance adjuster will offer a nuisance amount. They are:
The victim was responsible for the incident that caused their injuries
This statement is on the lines of comparative or contributory negligence. It simply states that the victim was responsible (at least to some extent) for the accident that caused their injuries. The total settlement amount takes a hit when comparative or contributory negligence comes into play.
The at-fault party is not responsible for the accident that caused the victim’s injuries
In simple words, the insurance adjuster is shifting the blame from the at-fault party to a third party just to get off the hook. If the at-fault party wasn’t responsible for the accident, then the victim will have to find the third party responsible for the accident.
The victim did not suffer any injuries
This is often done if the insurance adjuster comes across instances of the victim engaging in fun activities during recovery. The culprit here is the victim’s social media activity.
The accident did not cause the victim’s injuries
In some cases, the victim may have had a pre-existing condition. The insurance adjuster will argue that the victim did not suffer any injuries due to the accident and that they already had them before the accident.
Nuisance Value Examples
It is pretty easy to identify nuisance value offers from insurance agents. If the victim sustains a minor injury, like a soft-tissue injury, the insurance adjuster will offer a compensation amount that ranges from $250 to $500.
Then, there are cases where medical bills run into thousands of dollars. The victim may have even suffered emotional trauma, a condition that increases the settlement amount considerably. If the victim requests compensation between $15,000 and $20,000, the insurance adjuster will offer $2,000 to $3,000 to close the claim quickly.
How to Deal with Nuisance Value
It is important for victims to hire a lawyer to have a clear understanding of their claim’s worth. The lawyer will take all damages and losses into consideration and will provide a fair and accurate amount. They will help the victim negotiate the offer and make the insurance company pay the deserved compensation.