Friday, March 02, 2007

Legal Weasels

I've just had a 'courtesy call' from the legal team attached to my car insurers, following my accident at the start of the week. They asked me how I was, to which I answered "fine". "Are you sure?", they then asked, "no aches or pains or anything? Because we can get you examined".

"Quite sure", I said, before joking that I had no plans to sue anyone over the accident if that was what they meant. And without so much as a pause for breath, the caller went 'OK Mr Thomson I'll just put that on your notes thanks for your time goodbye', and hung up.

I know they're on my side, but even so, what a bunch of ambulance-chasing, unethical weasels! How many folk are now pursuing claims for damages, on the grounds of non-specific back and neck pain 'resulting' from minor car accidents, I wonder? And how many settlements are made out of court, not becuase of the merits of the case, but because it's the cheapest way to make it go away?

'Courtesy' call my foot. Grrrrrr.
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2 comments:

Attorney Matthew Noyes said...

Here in the States, insurance companies make those "courtesy" calls not to encourage people to file claims, but rather to use statements like yours ("I'm fine") against the person if they do experience pain and later need to treat. Most times, the pain from an car accident does not manifest for several days after the accident.

The insurance company was not encouraging a claim, they were trapping you if you later made a claim.

3/03/2007 1:49 pm
Richard Thomson said...

I hadn't thought of that. It's still a pretty low tactic, though.

3/03/2007 2:19 pm

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