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Legally Reviewed by:

Jonathan Rosenfeld
J.D

March 2, 2023

Over $400 Million worth of case results

Awarded The Best Lawyer in 2024 by U.S. News

Nationally Recognized in Legal Community

The car accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC represent both State Farm-insured drivers and individuals injured in Chicago car accidents involving severe injuries or fatalities. Our attorneys can discuss your case before talking to a claims adjuster.

Our personal injury attorneys are experts in handling auto insurance company claims involving accidents, including auto, motorcycle, homeowners, and business.

As with all our personal injury cases, we work on a contingency fee basis. We only charge attorney’s fees when we recover financial compensation for you.

Call our law firm toll-free at (888) 424-5757 or complete our online case intake form here for a free legal consultation.

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Our Chicago car accident lawyers will answer any questions or concerns you have related to car accident injury claims with State Farm Insurance.

All discussions with our car accident attorneys remain confidential through an attorney-client relationship.

State Farm Insurance Company: Background on an Auto Claim Giant

For decades, State Farm has remained the largest auto insurance company in the American property and casualty insurance industry. The company generates over $60 billion a year in revenue, well ahead of Geico, the second-largest insurer, and Allstate, the third-largest insurance company.

For years, the company has maintained its market share through its viral promotional campaign stating that “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”

However, like most insurers, State Farm is more interested in generating profits for their shareholders than ensuring that accident victims are made financially whole again, as required by the policyholder’s insurance agreement.

State Farm Insurance Company and Auto Settlements

State farm claims can be confusing and frustrating. If you’ve been in an accident, you might be wondering how much your claim is worth and when you’ll receive your settlement payout.

A law firm can help you determine the value of your claim and negotiate with State Farm to get you the best possible settlement.

A settlement value is what an insurance company will pay to cover the damages caused by the accident. The value is based on many factors, including the type of accident, the severity of the damages, the policy limits, and the deductible.

Even a seemingly “minor” injury may result in expensive long-term care. If you’ve been in a car accident, you may be wondering if your auto insurance will cover your medical bills.

The answer to this question depends on the type of insurance coverage. If you have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, your auto insurance policy will typically cover your medical expenses up to your policy limit.

If you don’t have PIP coverage, you may still be able to recover your medical expenses through a third-party claim or injury lawsuit.

Importance of Medical Records in State Farm Insurance Claims Process

Medical records are critical to any injury claim. If you were in a car accident, you would need your medical records to prove the extent of your injuries.

In some cases, insurance companies will try to lowball settlements by claiming that an injury is not as severe as it is. Having detailed medical records can help refute these insurance claims and get you the total amount you deserve.

State Farm Claim

State farm settlements are not always paid out in a lump sum. Sometimes, the insurer may offer a policyholder a structured settlement, which is an annuity that pays out over time.

It can be beneficial for the policyholder, as it can provide them with a steady stream of income. However, it is vital to note that structured settlements are not always available and that the terms of such state farm settlements can vary greatly.

The State Farm car accident claim process and settlement payout may vary depending on the severity of the accident and the type of coverage you have.

The average State Farm settlement payout is $500 for injury claims only. If you have a property damage claim, the average payout is much less.

State Farm paid out $1.2 million as part of a settlement with the state of California over allegations that the company improperly handled insurance claims involving cars that were damaged in accidents.

Mounting a Solid Case to Recover Maximum Compensation

Most law firms that handle mass tort litigation will have a team of claim adjusters who will evaluate your claim and determine how much you are entitled to. The value of your claim will depend on many factors, including the severity of your injuries and the extent of your damages.

In addition, law firms may engage in a process called “negotiation” to reach a settlement figure that is acceptable to both parties.

Our law firm advises that the initial settlement offer from State Farm is often low. Therefore, it is crucial to have an attorney representing you in these negotiations. Our law firm has successfully represented many individuals against State Farm, and we may be able to help you as well.

The State Farm Compensation Calculator

The State Farm settlement calculator is a simple online tool to help you calculate the amount of money you are eligible to receive from the State Farm insurance company. It is designed to work with the most recent information available from the State Farm website [1].

State Farm Claim Processing

You can count on our law firm to contact state farm and negotiate a fair settlement for your injuries. You can expect State Farm to start processing your claim and issuing settlement payouts within 30 days of receiving your completed paperwork.

However, unlike other insurance companies, State Farm has been known to drag its feet when paying out settlements.

Claims Adjusters

The claim adjusters are often assigned a specific number of accident claims to investigate each day. As part of the investigation, the adjuster will interview witnesses, review police reports, and inspect the damage to the vehicle.

The goal of the investigation is to determine who was at fault for the accident and how much money the insurance carrier will have to pay out.

Dealing with insurance adjusters can be frustrating, especially when you’re trying to get a settlement for your car accident claim. You’re not alone if you’re getting the run-around from your insurance company.

In our experience representing hundreds of car accident victims, we’ve found that insurance companies often try to lowball or delay settlement payments. Additionally, insurance adjusters are trained to ask leading questions designed to get you to say something that could damage your claim.

Recovering Damages for Lost Wages

The lost income and benefits you may be owed due to your car accident injuries can be significant. If another driver was at fault for the accident, you might be able to recover these lost earnings through a lawsuit.

However, if you have an insurance policy with State Farm, you may be entitled to receive a settlement for your lost earnings without filing a lawsuit.

If you have been injured in an accident and your policy includes (PIP) coverage, you may be able to claim lost earnings under your PIP benefits.

Pain and Suffering in State Farm Settlements

Suffering and pain are among the most common types of damages available in a claim. It is also one of the most difficult to quantify. How much are your suffering and pain worth? How do you prove its value to the insurance carrier?

It is in this dilemma that a skilled attorney comes in. An experienced attorney will know how to investigate your case, gather evidence, and build a persuasive argument for the maximum possible compensation.

A recent study shows that insurance companies are becoming more stingy with their payouts, especially for high-net-worth individuals. Therefore, It’s advisable to have an accident claims lawyer who can help you get the payout you deserve.

Factors Affecting Financial Recovery From State Farm

The primary factor is the severity of the injuries suffered. More severe injuries tend to lead to higher settlements due to more medical costs and lost earnings.

Other important factors include the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage, the state in which the accident occurred, and whether the injured person was partially at fault for the accident.

An experienced personal injury attorney can help maximize the value of your claim by thoroughly investigating the accident, negotiating with the insurance company, and, if necessary, taking the case to trial.

How to Avoid State Farm’s Adjusters’ Tactics

State Farm is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States. As such, they have many adjusters who handle claims for the company. These adjusters are trained to save the company money, and they do so by using a variety of tactics.

One common tactic that State Farm adjusters use is “low-balling” when the adjuster offers you a much lower settlement than what your claim is worth. Adjusters do this in hopes that you will accept the low offer and save State Farm money.

To avoid being lowballed, you must know the value of your claim. You can do this by getting estimates from contractors or repair shops. Make sure to get more than one estimate to have a range of prices to work with.

If you are offered a settlement that is lower than your estimates, do not accept it. Instead, counter the offer with a higher amount. State Farm’s adjusters are trained to negotiate, so they will likely come back with a higher offer. If they do not, you can always take your claim to court.

Another tactic that State Farm’s adjuster’s use is “delay and deny” when the adjuster delays processing your claim or denies your claim outright. Adjusters do this hoping that you will get frustrated and give up on your claim.

Using Your Past Communications With an Adjuster to Your Advantage

To avoid being delayed or denied, you must keep good records of your communication with the adjuster. Keep copies of all emails, letters, and phone calls to help you have a paper trail to back up your claim if the adjuster tries to delay or deny it.

If you are being delayed or denied, you can always file a complaint with the state insurance commissioner who regulates insurance companies in your state. The commissioner will investigate your claim and take action if necessary.

You should also know that you have the right to hire an attorney if you feel like State Farm’s adjusters are mistreating you. An attorney can help you navigate the insurance process and ensure that you get the settlement you deserve.

It Is Best to Hire an Attorney to Resolve Your Claim to Pay Past Medical Bills and Future Medical Expenses

It is always best to seek legal counsel when handling any severe bodily injury or a vehicle accident case. The decisions you make in the first moments after the auto accident could decide how your case will be resolved. Your livelihood and financial future are at stake.

Settling your case for a low value might cause you significant burdens in the future. A lowball offer might make it impossible to pay for your ongoing medical expenses, recoup lost wages due to lost time away from work, and get paid for non-tangible damages, including pain, suffering, and mental anguish.

If you suffer a temporary or permanent disability because of an auto accident, the medical problems you have now could last for years or the rest of your life. Our law firm accepts all injury cases through contingency fee agreements to avoid the need to be making any upfront payment.

We will obtain all related police reports, medical records, and medical bills so you can focus on your well-being. If we cannot secure financial compensation on your behalf, you never pay us anything for our legal services.

FAQs About Fighting State Farm and Other Insurance Companies to Obtain Adequate Financial Compensation

Below, our Chicago personal injury attorneys have answered a list of the most frequently asked questions about fighting State Farm and other insurance companies to obtain adequate financial compensation for a car accident through a fair settlement or at trial.

An Insurance Adjuster Told Me That I Could Trust Them in Handling My Auto Case. Is That True?

You should never trust an insurance company to look out for your best interest. Like all insurers, State Farm might be ethical, but they do not have your best interest in ensuring you receive fair value for your vehicle accident or bodily injury claim.

While their actions might not be dishonest, they have years of experience in handling hundreds of thousands of filed complaints, many of which are resolved by a low settlement offer compared to the value of your claim.

Typically, State Farm’s first settlement offer [2] to resolve an automobile accident claim might not cover all the property damage, medical care, and physical therapy expenses necessary for the injured person to heal. A personal injury lawyer working on your behalf can handle the personal injury claims process, work with the adjuster, and ensure that the State Farm insurance claim is resolved through a fair settlement or jury trial award.

How Can I be Confident That the Accident Claims Adjuster Made an Unreasonable Offer Because They Sound so Nice on the Phone?

Every adjuster working for State Farm is given only limited or restricted authority on how they can resolve your case through a settlement to save as much money as possible.

Within the first few days or weeks after your accident, you are likely unaware of exactly how much damage you have endured or the severity of your severe injuries, and the length of time it will take to heal completely.

Any quick offer by State Farm claims adjusters is usually an indicator that they want to close the case as fast as possible, regardless of whether they have accounted for all your damages. If you do not know how much your case is worth during the accident claims process, the State Farm Team likely does not know either or does not care.

How can State Farm Insurance Company Justify Offering Me a Ridiculously Low Settlement for My Chicago Auto Accident?

You must understand that it is not the insurance company’s responsibility or the adjuster’s to explain why they offer the settlement amount or justify their actions. Many insurance companies, including State Farm, will go to great lengths to delay the payment to make it go away or deny your claim outright, hoping you will not respond.

Some strategies and tactics that have proven highly successful at minimizing payment or denying a claim:

  • Blaming the accident on you or other accident victims, stating it was your negligence, not the policyholder, that caused the crash
  • Claiming that the injuries you endured are from an earlier medical condition where you never completely recovered from that condition
  • Stating that you were never injured in the accident but are merely pretending to be hurt in the hope of obtaining more compensation even though you are facing high medical bills
  • Asserting your medical treatment and accompanying medical bills are not reasonable or customary
  • Saying that your case is not worth very much, even if they agree that their policyholder was at fault for the crash

Typically, you can use the mobile app on your cell phone to contact the other driver’s State Farm agent. Additional, information on the other driver’s insurance policy can be found by calling an insurance agent [3] at 1-800-SF-Claim.

Will I Have to Wait a Long Time to Resolve My State Farm Case?

Have you hired an injury attorney to handle every aspect of your case? If so, you can expect to receive the initial offer approximately forty-five days after the law firm has sent State Farm a demand package.

The package outlines why you deserve fair compensation as detailed by your car accident lawyer. There is a time limit restricting how long you can file a claim for compensation for a standard motor vehicle accident claim or underinsured motorist claim.

There are payout restrictions when filing an uninsured motorist claim based on the policy limit.

If I File a Lawsuit Against a State Farm Insured Party, Will They Increase the Settlement Offer?

Most likely, if State Farm has not offered a fair settlement check equal to the worth of the case, the insurer will likely increase their offer once your attorney files a lawsuit. Oddly, State Farm tends to be willing to assume all the legal costs to undergo civil discovery by requesting interrogatory answers and taking depositions before they increase a follow-up settlement offer.

That said, the insurer often makes a last-minute settlement offer before beginning the trial process. The injury settlement amount they offer is usually significantly higher than what they offered initially before the lawsuit started.

However, State Farm Insurance Company is not shy about taking the Chicago car accident cases to a jury trial even if they believe the verdict will be significantly higher than what they were willing to offer before the trial began.

If the Jury Returns a Verdict Award That Exceeds the Defendant’s Policy Coverage, Will State Farm Be “Like a Good Neighbor” and Give Me a Check for What I Am Due?

They might do that. However, like most insurance carriers, State Farm is typically reluctant to payout an amount that exceeds the policyholder’s limits.

What Happens If State Farm Argued That the Settlement Payout Was Too High?

The next course of action would likely be to negotiate with the other party to reach a more agreeable settlement amount. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the next step would be to take the matter to court.

State Farm Insurance Car Accident Injury FAQs

Below are some frequently asked questions related to auto injury claims with State Farm Insurance. We appreciate that you may have additional questions about your situation. We welcome you to contact our Chicago, IL, car accident attorneys for a free consultation regarding your legal options.

Our personal injury lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for our clients in settlement negotiations and can do the same for you.

Does State Farm Insurance Cover DUI Accidents?

State Farm provides insurance coverage for auto accident victims harmed by the insurer’s policyholders in a DUI crash. However, State Farm might review their case and transfer them to a higher rate policy based on the drivers’ risky behavior.

How Long Does an Accident Stay on Your Insurance State Farm Records?

If you were involved in an automobile accident that was deemed to be your fault, you would likely have the crash on your record for up to thirty-six months while paying additional premiums every year. The higher premiums might be $800 or more every year until your accident is purged from your record.

Most automobile insurance companies, including State Farm, Allstate, USAA, and GEICO, pass the higher rate premiums to their riskier drivers.

What Happens After an Accident With State Farm?

As soon as the accident is over, ensure that everyone involved in the crash is safe until emergency medical technicians and the police arrive. Ensure you and your loved ones are transported to the nearest emergency room or urgent care center to receive an accurate diagnosis of your medical condition, even if you believe there are no injuries.

Next, ensure that all the pertinent information is gathered at the accident scene, including photographic evidence, eyewitness accounts, driver’s license numbers, and other contact info. Finally, ensure that you file a compensation claim to receive the money you deserve to pay for your damages.

What Is Reasonable Pain and Suffering From a Car Accident?

Most insurance companies, including State Farm, pay approximately $15,000 or less on average for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages, including mental anxiety and emotional distress. Typically, these cases involve minor injuries.

Accidents with moderate to severe injuries can significantly increase the claim’s value to $200,000 or more. Wrongful death lawsuits usually end in high-value settlements or jury trial awards.

What Happens If a Hit-and-Run Driver Caused the Accident?

If the hit-and-run car or truck driver caused your accident, you are still likely to receive financial compensation through your car insurance on an uninsured motorist claim. Your insurance coverage will pay for mild to severe injuries.

Does State Farm Deny Insurance Claims?

Like all major insurance companies, State Farm can deny a claim based on various factors, including insufficient evidence that you have damages. State Farm assigns an adjuster to handle your case. within moments of reporting a claim

The state farm adjuster will gather recorded statements from all parties involved, including eyewitness testimony, before making an offer. If the insurance adjuster deems the evidence insufficient, the insurance company will likely not make an offer to resolve the case.

However, victims can hire a car accident claim attorney specializing in ‘bad faith’ offers and force the insurance company to take a second look at the case.

Hiring a Reputable State Farm Insurance Accident Claim Lawyer

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have handled thousands of severe injury car crashes on behalf of our clients.

Our attorneys have years of experience and the necessary skills and resources to push back against the United States’ largest insurance company for our clients who genuinely suffer physical harm from an at-fault driver.

Were you injured, or did you lose a loved one in a vehicle accident with a State Farm-insured driver? If so, you need to speak to a lawyer immediately. Our legal team encourages you to contact our law firm today at (888) 424-5757 or fill in the contact form to schedule a free case evaluation.

Schedule a free consultation to discuss your insurance claim and how to protect your rights. Time is of the essence. All the necessary documents and paperwork must be filed in the proper county courthouse before the Illinois statute of limitations expires.

All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

Resources: [1] State Farm, [2] State Farm, [3] State Farm

Client Reviews

Jonathan Rosenfeld was professionally objective, timely, and knowledgeable. Also, his advice was extremely effective regarding my case. In addition, Jonathan was understanding and patient pertaining to any of my questions or concerns. I was very happy with the end result and I highly recommend Jonathan Rosenfeld.

- Michonne Proulx

Extremely impressed with this law firm. They took control of a bad motorcycle crash that left my uncle seriously injured. Without any guarantee of a financial recovery, they went out and hired accident investigators and engineers to help prove how the accident happened. I am grateful that they worked on a contingency fee basis as there was no way we could have paid for these services on our own.

- Ethan Armstrong

Jonathan helped my family heal and get compensation after our child was suffered a life threatening injury at daycare. He was sympathetic and in constant contact with us letting us know all he knew every step of the way. We were so blessed to find Jonathan!

- Giulia

This lawyer really helped me get compensation for my motorcycle accident case. I know there is no way that I could have gotten anywhere near the amount that Mr. Rosenfeld was able to get to settle my case. Thank you.

- Daniel Kaim

Jonathan did a great job helping my family navigate through a lengthy lawsuit involving my grandmother's death in a nursing home. Through every step of the case, Jonathan kept my family informed of the progression of the case. Although our case eventually settled at a mediation, I really was impressed at how well prepared Jonathan was to take the case to trial.

- Lisa
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