Let’s clear something up—when it comes to personal injury cases in the State of Indiana, senior citizen discounts do not apply. Unfortunately, insurance companies sometimes try to apply a discount when compensating senior citizens for their injuries. An Indiana injury lawyer can help you understand this misconception.
This blog will examine the top five arguments that insurance companies use to justify offering less money to injured seniors.
Argument 1: Age Contributed to the Injury
When a senior citizen is an injury victim, insurance companies like to claim that age was a contributing factor. Broadly speaking, this means the insurance company is arguing that a younger, healthier person either wouldn’t have been hurt as seriously as the actual victim or that a younger, healthier person wouldn’t have been hurt at all. This is age discrimination, plain and simple.
We’re not allowed to generalize in this way about a person’s race, religion, or gender, and we likewise can’t do it with regard to age. In fact, the law prohibits stereotyping and speculation in the courtroom. Even when the ageist argument is only implied, it’s still inappropriate and unfair.
Argument 2: Fewer Years Remaining Should Mean Less Compensation
Another dirty insurance company trick is to factor in life expectancy when determining compensation. The insurance company assumes that because an older victim has a shorter life expectancy, the victim deserves less compensation. This is shortsighted.
Senior citizens are entitled to enjoy their retirement free from pain and injuries. In fact, an experienced personal injury lawyer could argue that compensation for these golden years—spent with family, friends, and hobbies—is potentially more valuable than compensation would be during one’s working years.
Click here to read more about how insurance companies treat seniors unfairly.