Personal Injury vs. Colossus
As a personal injury law firm, the most important aspect is getting the most value for our client’s case. Valuing a case can be difficult because there are so many varying factors and every case is different. There are numerous factors to be considered: the type of accident, injuries, length of treatment, prior injuries,etc. Because of such a wide myriad of factors and issues that may arise, each case needs to be analyzed individually and not grouped together. One program that is gaining usage among insurance companies does not take such an individualized approach. Ask any personal injury firm about the insurance company Allstate and you are bound to get the same reaction. Allstate has always been known as the most difficult insurance company to get the best value of a case for your client. This difficulty is compounded by the program Allstate has been using for over ten years. The program is known as Colossus, and it has left an impenetrable mark on motor vehicle accidents. Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies in the country. It has millions of property and bodily injury claims a year. Due to this volume, Allstate has come to rely on Colossus, which is a cost-containment and profit-management software program.
More About Colossus
Colossus evaluates and breaks down numerous factors of a motor vehicle accident and creates a value for those factors. It uses over 10,400 parameters to screen data entered by an adjuster. An adjuster will enter information about the claim, such as loss of income, medical expenses, diagnosis, ratable permanent injury, liability, impact, use of safety equipment, prior conditions, etc. Colossus takes such information and puts values on the information added to the system.The program is completely reliant on medical records. The medical records are the main source of information in valuing claims. The program is very specific, as well. For example, a claim would get only value for a disc lesion if the medical records use the exact terms of herniation and bulge. Any subjective complaints, though, are not considered. Anything that is not in the medical records is not considered. Hence it is incredibly important for claimants to express all medical issues to their treating doctors and for the doctors to give detailed records of the claimant’ injuries so all relevant information is entered into Colossus.
Lowering Case Values
There are numerous factors that negatively affect a claim and lower the value of a case. The length of time can be such a negative factor. If a claimant treats beyond 10 weeks or so with only neck and back sprains, the value of the case will decrease. Another negative factor is the amount of times a firm files suit against insurance companies. The program, also, takes value off for the medical doctors. If the insurance company determines over time that a medical provider is not properly documenting injuries, such as over emphasizing the injury or giving out of work notes that are not necessary, the insurance company inputs that medical provider into Colossus. Hence, anytime an adjuster inputs the medical provider into Colossus, the value of the claim decreases.
Colossus has another harmful impact on personal injury law. The program has difficulty valuing claims that involve serious injuries. Colossus was created more to evaluate soft tissue injuries. This is due to the fact that Colossus is based on those thousands of factors mentioned above. If the injuries from a motor vehicle accident were fatal, for example, Colossus cannot properly give value to the pain and suffering of the claimant.
Allstate adjusters rely on this program in evaluating claims. Adjusters do not take an individualized approach. Adjusters do not take into consideration the factors that Colossus cannot evaluate. Allstate insists that their adjusters are not bound by the value created by Colossus, yet adjusters are expected to use this program for every claim since Colossus is incredibly expensive for the insurance company. Also, Allstate will take a claim all the way to trial if they cannot settle a claim for their value, which was most likely determined by Colossus. This makes negotiating with Allstate a difficult task for personal injury attorneys.
Colossus has such a large impact on personal injury claims. Other insurance companies, such as Farmers, uses Colossus, but Allstate is the largest insurance company. Personal injury attorneys and claimants need to be aware of the program and what the program gives the most value for. Once claimants and personal injury attorneys are aware of the best values, it can be brought to the attention of the adjuster who will enter it into Colossus. Colossus has changed how personal injury lawyers negotiate claims with Allstate, but the fight continues for the injured in motor vehicle accidents. Here at Rob Levine & Associates we have the experience to fight Allstate for the best value on your personal injury case.
