A woman was hit by a crane nearly two years ago. She comes to my office and wants to make a claim. I have to ask her, “Why did you wait so long?” She and her kids were traveling home from a birthday party and they were hit by a mobile crane at an uncontrolled intersection. The car was totaled. Glass everywhere, emergency people, airbags… It was a catastrophic mess, and I ask her, “Why did you wait so long to bring this claim to me or take action.” What was her response? Her response was very simple, very honest. She said, “I got a call from the crane driver’s insurance company and they asked me for information. I signed all the necessary forms. I gave them all the information. I even let them ask me questions about what happened.” Typically, these are all no-nos in a case, but she did what she was told by the other driver’s insurance company. No matter what she gave them, they always had something else to ask her for.
Finally, as she’s down to the eleventh hour on her case, she calls and asks, “Why the case is taking so long to resolve?” They’re still looking for documents and information she provided them months ago. So, why is it take so long to settle this case? Because the insurance companies want to string this case out. They have no incentive to pay the case any sooner. The longer they hold onto the money that they know they are eventually going to have to pay, the more they can use the money to do the things they do with it and the less time this woman has to compensate her for her harms and losses.
If you’re experiencing delays with your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company settling your claim, give the Law Offices of Frank M. Nunes a call at 559-436-0850.