Insurance companies are designed to be profitable, so they usually look for ways to save themselves money by not giving out huge payments to accident victims. Insurance adjusters may appear to be genuinely concerned about your injury; however, they are really looking for a reason to devalue or deny your claim.
If you have a valid claim, having a reliable attorney handle all communication with the insurance company could help you protect the value of your claim. The Macon personal injury attorneys at Roden Law provide tips below on how you should handle these calls.
Beware of Insurance Companies
If you were involved in a car crash or other accident involving personal injury or property damage, you will almost always be contacted by the at-fault party’s insurance company. The insurance adjuster may ask you harmless questions such as, “How are you feeling?” or “Are you feeling better?”.
If you reply by saying something like, “I am feeling better,” or “I feel good”, they can hold this information against you, saying that your injury is not severe enough for the compensation you need.
Your attorney can communicate with the insurance company on your behalf and tell you how to respond, should you receive a call from an insurance adjuster.
Am I Required to Speak to Insurance Adjusters?
Sometimes insurance adjusters may try to make you believe that you are required to speak to them, and they may even ask you to provide a recorded statement. Keep in mind that you are not required to provide details about your claim, and you do not have to provide a written or recorded statement.
A good lawyer will walk you through the legal process and advise you to only provide basic details about the accident, such as when and where it happened. If the insurance adjuster insists that you must provide more information, you should immediately refer him or her to your attorney.
Your attorney can explain your rights with this type of situation and provide helpful answers to any questions that may be asked by the insurance adjuster.
Steps to Take Before Speaking to Insurance Companies
If you were injured in an accident, it is important to seek immediate medical attention to maintain your health and the value of your injury claim. After receiving medical treatment, we recommend taking the following steps before speaking to an insurance adjuster:
- Review the police/accident report to check for any errors or missing information. Sometimes important details that could determine the outcome of your claim may be incorrect or left out.
- Do not feel pressured to take the call immediately if you are contacted by the insurance company. Let the insurance adjuster leave you a message so you can gather your thoughts and prepare yourself to avoid mistakes. However, if it is your own insurance company attempting to contact you, it is important to return their call within a reasonable period, as this may hurt your claim – just keep the conversation as brief as possible.
- Prepare yourself with a list of responses and notes that may help you organize your thoughts for a conversation with an insurance adjuster. If you provide conflicting information, this could be held against you and may cause your claim to be less believable, which could result in a denied or devalued claim.
It is important to not accept a quick lowball offer from the insurance company. A smart lawyer will advise you to wait until your injuries have stabilized to better assess your total damages in order to pursue compensation to help cover past, present and future medical needs and lost income if you missed work while you were injured.
Let Our Licensed Attorneys Handle Your Claim
Do not allow the insurance companies to take advantage of you by denying or devaluing your claim. If your claim has merit, having an experienced personal injury attorney handling your claim generally means that you could recover the maximum allowable compensation.
The licensed attorneys at Roden Law have several years of experience protecting the rights of injury victims and negotiating with insurance adjusters on their behalf. We offer a free initial consultation and you will not be required to hire our firm unless you wish to do so. You will not be charged any legal fees unless we recover fair compensation for your injury claim.