Interviewer: Garrick, thank you for joining us today. One question many car accident victims have is whether their attorney has experience handling cases against major insurance companies like Progressive or State Farm. Have you handled cases against these companies before?
Garrick McFadden: Absolutely, I have. As a Phoenix car accident law firm, GAMESQ, PLC has dealt with nearly every major insurance company operating in Arizona, including Progressive, State Farm, GEICO, Allstate, and others. In fact, my experience goes beyond just negotiating with these companies—I’ve worked on the inside. I was once in-house counsel for Progressive, so I know exactly how these companies think and operate.
Interviewer: That’s incredible insight. How does your experience working for an insurance company benefit your clients?
Garrick McFadden: Working for Progressive taught me how insurance companies evaluate claims and how they strategize to minimize payouts. For example, most major insurance companies have their own in-house lawyers, which means they don’t have to spend additional money hiring outside counsel. This gives them an advantage—they’re often more willing to deny or undervalue claims because they know they can litigate cheaply if needed.
An experienced attorney like me knows this from the start of a claim and prepares accordingly. When I take on a case at GAMESQ, PLC, I approach it as if it’s going to trial from day one. This means gathering strong evidence early, fighting any liability determinations, and ensuring the client’s treatment is credible and defensible in front of a jury.
Interviewer: What are some common tactics you’ve seen insurance companies use to pay less on claims?
Garrick McFadden: One of the most common tactics is how they view lien-based care from mill law firms. When insurance adjusters see that a client has been sent to a chiropractor or other lien-based provider by one of the big advertising law firms, they immediately devalue the claim. Why? Because they know those firms often inflate medical bills with unnecessary treatments that don’t actually help the client recover.
When I was at Progressive, we loved seeing cases from these big advertising law firms. Why? Because we knew their clients were often overtreated by lien-based providers and that those firms had too many cases to properly litigate them all. This allowed us to offer less money and still settle most of those cases without going to court.
Interviewer: That’s eye-opening. How do you handle cases differently at GAMESQ, PLC?
Garrick McFadden: At GAMESQ, PLC, we take a completely different approach because my goal is always to maximize what my clients put in their own pockets after all medical bills and attorney fees are paid. Here’s how we do it:
- We Avoid Lien-Based Care:
I never send clients to chiropractors or other lien-based providers who inflate medical bills unnecessarily. Instead, I encourage clients to use their own trusted healthcare providers or private insurance (including AHCCCS). This ensures they get proper treatment while keeping medical expenses manageable—leaving more room for financial recovery from their settlement. - We Fight Liability Determinations Early:
Winning the liability fight at the start of a case is crucial because it sets the tone for everything else. If there’s any way to shift liability onto the other driver—even partially—I pursue it aggressively by analyzing evidence like police reports, debris fields, and crash footage from vehicles like Teslas or nearby surveillance cameras. - We Provide Regular Updates:
Once liability is determined, I provide insurance adjusters with 20-day and 30-day updates about my client’s medical progress. This helps adjusters increase their reserves early in the case—allocating more money for the claim—which often leads to higher settlements down the line. - We Prepare Every Case for Trial:
I prepare every case as if it’s going before a jury because I don’t want to be ashamed of anything presented in court—especially my client’s medical treatment. This means ensuring all aspects of the case are credible and defensible.
Interviewer: Can you share an example where your approach made a difference in a case against a major insurance company?
Garrick McFadden: Certainly! One case that stands out involved a client who was rear-ended by a driver insured by State Farm. The police report initially placed partial blame on my client because of conflicting witness statements. After reviewing the evidence—including crash footage from my client’s Tesla—I was able to prove that the other driver was entirely at fault.
By providing regular updates about my client’s treatment progress and pushing for policy-limit demands early on, we secured a settlement that fully compensated my client for their injuries and damages—without ever stepping foot in court.
In another case involving Progressive, my client suffered serious injuries that required surgery. Because I knew how Progressive evaluates claims from my time working there, I immediately submitted an MRI report along with a policy-limit demand while continuing to supplement with additional evidence as treatment progressed. This proactive approach ensured my client received maximum compensation quickly.
Interviewer: What happens if someone hires one of those big advertising law firms instead of GAMESQ, PLC?
Garrick McFadden: Unfortunately, many clients who go with big advertising law firms end up disappointed because those firms prioritize volume over quality representation. Here’s what often happens:
- Lien-Based Care Hurts Their Case: These firms send clients to chiropractors who rack up unnecessary treatments that make insurance companies devalue the claim.
- Poor Communication with Adjusters: Big firms often fail to provide regular updates about medical progress, which means adjusters don’t increase reserves early—resulting in lower settlements.
- Lack of Trial Preparation: Most big firms aren’t prepared to take cases to trial because they’re handling too many cases at once.
At GAMESQ, PLC, we avoid these pitfalls by focusing on quality over quantity and treating every case as if it’s going before a jury.
Interviewer: What message would you like potential clients to take away from this conversation?
Garrick McFadden: My message is simple: If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Phoenix or anywhere else in Arizona, you need an attorney who knows how major insurance companies operate—and how to beat them at their own game.
At GAMESQ, PLC:
- We fight liability battles early so you can get your car repaired quickly.
- We monitor your medical treatment closely to ensure you’re receiving proper care—not unnecessary treatments that harm your case.
- We prepare every case as if it’s going before a jury because Your injuries deserve more than crumbs—they deserve our fight and your win.
If you’re ready to work with an attorney who truly understands how to handle cases against major insurance companies like Progressive or State Farm, fill out our contact form today or call us now for a free consultation!
