Get Geico. Get Sued?

EVEN A CAVEMAN IS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT BEING SUED CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT HIS CONSUMER REPORTS. In a recent poll of auto-negligence lawyers across America, numerous attorneys who represent auto-collision injury victims say they are having to file more lawsuits to recover restitution for their clients when GEICO is involved. Steve Moore from M&W participated in the informal poll conducted through a national listserve for auto-negligence attorneys. “When we take on an auto-negligence claim for the victim, we explain it’s in their best interest if a fair settlement can be reached without having to file a lawsuit,” said Moore. He explained that lawsuits and litigation are expensive and time consuming for victims who are often in a difficult financial situation because of lost wages, co-pays and deductibles. “Companies like GEICO know Alabama procedural, regulatory and substantive laws are in their favor and they are really taking advantage of this situation,” he said. Moore went on to say that not only is GEICO taking advantage of the victim by making “ridiculously low” claim settlement offers but their own insureds as well. He explained that not only are lawsuits difficult for victims but it also means the at-fault drivers insured by GEICO are going to suffer. In Alabama even though the insurance company gets to control the payment, or non-payment, of a liability claim it’s their insured that must be named as the Defendant in a civil lawsuit for damages. Moore referenced the recent claim of one of his clients against GEICO as an example of just how unreasonable and difficult GEICO is being. The clients were rear-ended by a GEICO insured as they were stopped in traffic. GEICO’s last offer to settle the claim before litigation was less than the clients’ medical expenses and lost wages. “This is not a big case,” said Moore, “but GEICO has left our clients with the option of incurring an out-of-pocket loss of several hundred dollars or filing a lawsuit to try and recover full restitution." He noted that not only is GEICO re-victimizing the victim, but they are subjecting their own insured to the various adverse consequences of a civil lawsuit and possibly a civil judgment. "Being a Defendant in a civil lawsuit may have adverse consequences to consumer reports and is a factor to be disclosed on credit applications and job applications,” explained Moore. In closing he said, “I think the real cavemen at GEICO are the ones making these kind of unfair and unjust decisions.”