If you’ve been injured in an accident due to someone else’s actions, you may be entitled to compensation. The steps you take following your accident can impact the compensation that you may be entitled to receive.
Insurance Adjusters’ Role
Insurance adjusters investigate accidents to determine who caused the accident and so they can decide how much money, if any, to settle for. Insurance adjusters are employed by insurance companies and work to benefit the interests of their employers. The goal of insurance adjusters is not necessarily doing what’s right or fair. Their goal is to save their employer, the insurance company, as much money as possible by paying out the least amount of money they can get away with for an accident.
Does the insurance company have my best interest at heart?
Don’t Say That
When you speak to an insurance adjuster, there are several aspects of the investigation that you either should not answer questions about or should not expound upon. In some cases, you should say nothing at all. Here’s how you should handle conversations with an insurance adjuster, especially if you speak to them before retaining an accident attorney:
- Do not admit fault. This may seem obvious, but you can admit fault without even knowing you did so. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask crafty questions and hone in on certain buzzwords. Saying words like “sorry” can be a red flag for an insurance adjuster. They may use that to claim that you were at fault or bear some responsibility for the accident, which can reduce your settlement or eliminate it all together.
- Don’t say yes to the first offer of settlement they make. This is one benefit of hiring an experienced personal injury attorney right away. We can help you understand the value of your accident claim. Insurance adjusters are incentivized to close claims quickly and to pay the least amount of money possible in settlements. They may initially give you a low-ball offer even though your claim may be worth much more.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t answer it and do not agree to be recorded. The insurance adjuster may ask you a slew of questions to try to figure out if you may hold some liability for the accident. If you don’t know the exact answer, it’s best to simply say “I don’t know” or to just refuse to answer the question at that moment. The wrong answer can give the insurance adjuster fuel to deny your claim. Additionally, the insurance adjuster may request to record your statements or answers to their questions. You should politely reject their request. Again, the insurance adjuster can use this detailed record of everything you’ve said to undermine your claim.
- Do not reveal anything about your medical history, and do not provide them with your medical records. Remember, the sole goal of the insurance adjuster is to pay the least amount of money possible. Their allegiance is to the insurance company that employs them and wants to keep as much of their money as they can. If they find a preexisting condition in your medical record, they may try to say that your condition caused your injuries and that you weren’t injured in the accident at all. They may try to use that to reduce your compensation.
Why Choose Us?
The attorneys of OnderLaw have been working for decades to help people injured by someone else’s wrongdoing receive significant compensation. We’ve secured billions of dollars in settlements and awards for our clients. To do so, we’ve used our diligent and skillful legal representation paired with our exhaustive understanding of the accident and personal injury laws and our compassion for our clients’ difficult journeys to recovery.
At OnderLaw , you can rest assured that you’re getting the best legal representation possible at no immediate cost to you. This is because we offer free consultations to review your case, and if you hire us as your attorneys, you’ll pay nothing upfront. Once we obtain compensation for you, we’ll take our fee from that money. If we don’t get money for you, you will owe us nothing.
Call OnderLaw Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by someone else, you will be contacted by an insurance adjuster who will investigate your accident to decide how to resolve your claim. It is in your best interest to hire an experienced accident attorney from OnderLaw right away so we can negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company. We’re here to help you get the fair compensation you deserve for your injuries and suffering.
Contact us today for a free consultation or complete our contact form online so that one of our representatives can contact you.
