Negotiating a Car Accident Settlement with GEICO

How to handle a Dallas car accident injury claim with GEICO.

GEICO is the 2nd-largest insurance company in the US, but has a reputation of undervaluating injury claims related to car accidents. To give yourself the best shot at a fair settlement, you need to understand what you’re up against.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a major auto, life and home insurer with a heavy presence in Dallas, Texas. The company has an aggressive marketing and advertising strategy touting their low cost and friendly service, but what happens when a GEICO driver causes an accident and you suffer an injury?

Most people who’ve never brought a claim against GEICO are of the opinion that their claims will be honored should they get into an accident, and that the company will fairly compensate those injured by their insured clients.

The reality, however, is that GEICO’s sole objective is to resolve a claim for as little money as possible. The company is owned by Berkshire Hathaway after all, and GEICO is beholden to their shareholders.

Have you been injured in an accident and are considering trying to negotiate a settlement with GEICO? Before you make the same mistakes that thousands of others have done before you, take a minute to call us at (214) 651-6100 for a free case evaluation.

GEICO adjusters and their underhanded tricks.

GEICO is a money-making machine, and has in its hands a team of insurance adjusters that are trained in how to trick claimants into accepting FAR less than they deserve for their injury claims.

In the past, many insurance companies resorted to denying valid claims in order to save the company money, but this ended up backfiring when more and more claimants began hiring personal injury lawyers, who often recovered far more compensation for their clients.

As a result, many insurance companies have now resorted to a new tactic where instead of denying a claim right away, they string you along, tell you that they’re investigating your claim, and pretend that they are going to help you in the end. Several months down the line—after you’ve grown tired of dealing with the whole situation and are desperate for a settlement—they know they have the upper hand.

This is referred to as the DDD tactic (delay, defend and deflect). This is a time-wasting strategy that is meant to push your buttons to the point of exhaustion and resignation. Once most people reach this point, they will take whatever GEICO offers them because in their eyes, that’s the best they are going to get given their circumstances.

It doesn’t matter that they said they’d pay 100% of your medical bills and recoup you for lost wages; they’re under no obligation to pay you anything at all unless a court has ordered them to do so. By now, it’s almost certain that no personal injury attorney will be able to help you with your claim, as you’re now far too along in the process to affect much change—and have likely irreparably hurt the potential value and strength of your original claim.

Never give a recorded statement to GEICO.

It is important to note that you are not obligated by the law to give GEICO a recorded statement. This is one of the strategies they will use to deny or reduce the amount you are entitled to, due to the way they ask leading questions. You should only provide a recorded statement at the advice of your attorney.

As a rule of thumb, GEICO will never take your claim seriously except in two scenarios: (1) you are represented by an attorney, or (2) you have previously won a court case against them in the past. The truth is that they handle claim just like yours on a daily basis, they know their strategy works, and they know they can beat an unrepresented client in court. If they can keep you from hiring a lawyer, GEICO (and their team of attorneys) will always have the upper hand.

Legal advice regarding car accident injury claims against GEICO.

We understand that you may have reservations about hiring a lawyer, but you also need to understand that personal injury lawyers exist for a reason. We wouldn't be in business if we didn't provide a useful service and help people in your exact situation recover substantial compensation. It literally costs you nothing to hire us to handle your claim, and we only take a fee if and when we actually win your case.

Before you attempt to handle your accident injury claim with GEICO, please call us today at (214) 651-6100 to discuss the facts of your case free of charge, and we can advise you of your options moving forward.