Oregon State Farm Insurance Claims for Personal Injury

Oregon motor insurance companies have the commercial advantage that drivers are legally required to buy their product. Most sales and service businesses don’t have that kind of leverage, and State Farm is one of the largest providers of car insurance in the state. So how fairly, efficiently and effectively do Oregon State Farm claims get dealt with? Are they truly the “good neighbor” they claim to be?

State Farm Oregon Could Handle Personal Injury Claims Better:

According to a survey by J.D. Power which was carried out between March and July, 2011, State Farm was found to need improvement in three specific areas:

1. Communication: Claimants need to have processes explained to them clearly, and be kept informed of proceedings throughout the claims process.
2. Speed: State Farm should move more quickly between the time a claim is made and a settlement is offered.
3. Fairness: Claimants would like State Farm to be fairer regarding settlements.

In this survey, State Farm had improved dramatically in terms of non-injury claims from their 2010 position. They finished with a ranking of 878 out of 1,000 possible points, placing them second in overall satisfaction. However, when it comes to dealing with personal injury cases, Oregon State Farm claims get an entirely different review.

State Farm Personal Injury Bad Faith Practices: 

According to an online Free Law Advice survey, the American Association for Justice (AAJ) has ranked State Farm as the fourth worst insurer in the country for the way it handles injury claim payments. An AAJ report has found that State Farm has engaged in bad faith practices including:

• Denying personal injury claims that were clearly valid
• Delaying payment of claims, causing undue distress and additional expense to claimants
• Defending personal injury claims that clearly should have been settled without ever going to court

The report went on to state that State Farm had hired a New York consulting firm to recommend ways they could be more profitable, which led to the deny-delay-defend practices. As a result, customer satisfaction with State Farm’s handling of personal injury claims shows that 46% of all customers are either unsatisfied or very unsatisfied, with a further 9% only somewhat satisfied.

Clearly, Oregon State Farm personal injury claims are far short of perfection. Cases that are obviously valid are being denied. Others are being defended when those cases should never see the inside of a court room, and in almost every case, settlement payments are unnecessarily delayed.

If you’ve been injured in an Oregon traffic accident, whether as a driver, pedestrian or cyclist, and State Farm is refusing to acknowledge your rightful claim for reimbursed expenses, as well as pain and suffering, ongoing medical treatment and physical therapy, you should seriously consider seeking the assistance of a qualified Portland personal injury attorney, one who is used to dealing with Oregon State Farm claims and adjusters. An Oregon personal injury lawyer will help make sure you receive fair and prompt treatment from the insurance companies, and get you the compensation you deserve.