Massachusetts Personal Injury Car Accident Trap: Ambulance Chasers and Insurance Adjusters

Personal injury lawyers, in Massachusetts often get a bad rap with "ambulance-chaser" being a well-known knock on PI lawyers. Did you know the moniker "ambulance-chaser", however, might be better suited for the other side of the courtroom in car accident case, not the plaintiff's?

Last night I was reviewing a claim against a reckless driver, and once again I was struck by how quickly the defendant's insurance company had visited my client and manipulated her into signing a medical authorization.

As I was thinking about this family, I began seeing the young girl sitting on her family couch while crying in pain. She's sitting alongside her father who just wants to take care of her while the cagey insurance adjuster pushes and pushes for more and more information against her until he has what he came for and leaves -- it reminds me of how aggressive and abusive the real ambulance chasers of today are.(p/>

There was no reason for this victim to:

Meet with this insurance adjuster, especially at her home while she recovers;
Not have a lawyer with her;
Provide a statement; or
Authorize complete access to all of her private medical records.

This story, however, isn't unfamiliar or uncommon. The insurance company had taken the all too familiar 'wolf in sheep's clothing' approach. Luckily the young girl's father found this whole approach odd. Once the shock of it all left, he questioned why he had let this man into his home in the first place. Once I was contacted, I was able to revoke the medical authorization immediately and order the investigator to stop contacting or harassing this family at their home.

If you've been injured in an accident and don't have an attorney, don't allow the following to be used to coerce your in a deceitful manner:

Shock of the accident,
Guilt,
Immediacy of an unexpected visit,
Caring or friendly approach,
Assurance that you don't need a lawyer,
Your desire to be helpful,or
Your hope to resolve things quickly

If you have already met with their adjuster before being represented by legal counsel, then have your lawyer get a copy of your statement and terminate any authorizations immediately. By acting quickly you may be able to limit the disclosures that probably don't need to be made.

Wilson & Whitaker, LLC represents people who have been harmed or suffered a loss in a personal injury or wrongful death case involving a Massachusetts transportation or auto accident.