Dirty Tactics Of Insurance Adjusters In Truck Accident Injury Cases (And How To Beat Them)

Suffering a truck accident is a life changing experience. Given their sheer size and bulk, commercial truck wrecks can be devastating, leading to catastrophic injuries, emotional and psychological trauma, and enduring financial hardship. Victims have the right to expect fair compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company. The reality is, however, when you file a claim for truck accident injuries, you’re stepping onto a battlefield against insurance adjusters who are taught to defend their bottom line, and not looking out for your best interests.

This article will reveal the sneaky tactics that insurance adjusters employ in claims regarding a truck accident injury, the ways they attempt to reduce payouts, and most significantly, how you can combat them.

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Why Truck Accident Claims Get Blown Out Of Proportion

Truck Accident Claims Are Not Like Regular Car Accidents Truck accident claims are much more complex than normal car accidents because they can include:

Several Potential At Fault Parties (Truck Driver, Trucking Company, Maintenance Providers, Or The Truck Manufacturer)

Rules of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

Higher insurance policy limits

Catastrophic injuries with long-term effects

Extensive commercial insurance legal teams

Since the stakes are so high, insurers will pull out all the stops to minimize your payout or reject your claim altogether.

Below is a list of the dirty tricks that they may attempt against you.

Pressuring You To Agree to a Lowball Settlement

Shortly after a truck accident, insurance adjusters often come back with a fast offer pleading sympathy for the injured. And this they do before you’ve even had a full medical examination or an opportunity to know the long-term impact of your injuries.

They may say:

“This is the best you can expect to be offered.”

“You don’t need a lawyer, this is a normal payout.

“We want to help you move on swiftly.”

The real goal? Convince you to settle your claim for much less than it is worth and sign away your right to future payment.

How to Protect Yourself

Never take a premature offer without seeking legal representation.

Wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI).

Take into account all future medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering when settling.

Place The Blame on You

Adjusters will often attempt to place all or some of the blame on you, despite the fact that the truck driver or company was obviously negligent. This strategy lowers your payout by
comparative negligence laws.

Common strategies include alleging:

You were speeding or distracted

You failed to yield or signal

You were (constantly lost) in the blind spot of the car.

In truth, trucking companies frequently skimp on training their drivers correctly, cut corners on federal safety standards or convince their drivers to put themselves at risk.

How to Protect Yourself

Get a copy of the police report and examine it closely.

Gather dashcam footage, traffic camera footage and witness statements.

Work with a lawyer to obtain driver logs, maintenance records and black box data.

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Delaying the Claims Process

Truck accident victims are well aware of the uphill battle they face as their medical bills and lost income continue to pile up. The longer they can make you wait, the more desperate you might be for less.

Tactics include:

Requesting excessive documentation

Stating that your case is still under review

Ignoring calls and emails

“Losing” paperwork

How to Protect Yourself:

Document all phone calls or contacts with the insurance company in writing.

Write down follow-up reminders and due dates.

If the insurer declines to act in good faith, hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit.

Downplaying or Disputing Your Injuries

Another popular tactic is to argue that your injuries are not as serious as they sound.

They may argue:

You delayed in seeking medical care

You had a pre-existing condition

Your Injuries Weren’t From the Accident Your injuries resulted from something other than the accident.

These are ways to lower what you get from your case and not pay for your pain and suffering.

How to Protect Yourself

After the accident, be evaluated by a doctor.

Go to all follow-up appointments, and follow the treatment plan.

"Maintain a pain diary -- noting your symptoms, your limitations and your emotional pain.

Asking for a Recorded Statement to Be Used Against You

Adjusters would like to take a recorded statement and often behave as if it’s standard operating procedure. But they also goad you with leading questions or fish your answers out of context in order to:

Suggest you’re not seriously injured

Catch inconsistencies in your story

Trick you into conceding some fault

How to Protect Yourself

Politely refuse to provide a recorded statement.

Forward all inquiries to your lawyer.

Never second-guess or minimize your symptoms — keep it factual.

Blaming “Unforeseeable Circumstances”

When liability is fairly evident, adjusters may claim that the accident was due to an act of God or an event that was beyond the plaintiff’s ability to foresee or prevent, such as:

Bad weather

Mechanical failure

Road hazards

This is an effort to pass the buck, to claim I’m not at fault, even though commercial trucking companies have a duty to inspect and maintain their vehicles and see to it dangerous conditions are not allowed to exist.

How to Protect Yourself

Ask for the records of the truck in terms of inspection and maintenance.

Budget for protected data from the (black) box that reveals speed, braking etc. and steering.

Use accident reconstruction experts to prove the driver or company was still negligent.

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Settling Before All Responsible Parties Are Named

Settling Before All Responsible Parties Are Named. Typically, the following parties are involved in a truck collision:

The truck driver

The trucking company

A shipping or loading company

A truck manufacturer

A maintenance contractor

One of the adjuster’s strategies is to settle with only one party very quickly, so you have no right to seek recovery from the others for their contributions to your harm.

How to Protect Yourself

Examine all entities within the trucking operation.

I wouldn’t sign anything until your lawyer has worked up probabilities for all liability angles.

Sue all responsible parties to recover as much as possible.

Why You Need a Skilled Truck Accident Lawyer

Tractor-Trailer Accident Claims Are Not Run of the Mill. They involve:

Federal trucking regulations

Complex multi-party liability

High-value medical and economic damages

Corporate insurers and defense teams

What an experienced personal injury lawyer can do:

Save key evidence (such as black box data and driver logs), Seek Maximum Compensation for Your Medical, Financial, and Emotional Damages, Negotiate with powerful insurance companies, and Sue if necessary to obtain a fair outcome

Insurance adjusters will do everything they can to dismiss your truck accident injury claim. From quick payment offers to denying responsibility and delaying the claims process, their playbook is straightforward: pay as little as “reasonably possible.”
But you can fight back. Be aware of their strategies, defend your rights, and have a legal team who knows the ins and outs of 18-wheeler crash cases.

Don’t be pushed around by the insurance company. Make them pay the price and get the true money you’re entitled to.

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Note: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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Meet Shawn Mangoli

“Shawn Mangoli, the founder of Beverly Hills Injury Firm, is a distinguished trial attorney specializing in personal injury law. With a decade of experience in civil litigation, Shawn has successfully championed the rights of those injured due to negligence, securing numerous multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. Recognized consistently by Super Lawyers and a respected member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and American Attorneys for Justice, Shawn’s commitment to justice is profound and unwavering.”

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