If you are a personal injury victim, at some point you will probably have to deal with an insurance adjuster from the at-fault party’s insurance company. An insurance adjuster is responsible for gathering evidence related to the incident, calculating the value of your claim, and negotiating a settlement with you. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters do not have your best interests in mind. Their goal is to get you to settle for as little as possible so they can save the company money. Here are some of the common settlement tactics used by insurance adjusters to accomplish this goal:
Recorded Statement
The insurance adjuster may contact you and ask you to make a recorded statement regarding the incident that led to your injuries. This may seem like a harmless request, but it’s not. If you agree to make a statement, anything that you say could be twisted around and used against you. Even something as minor as saying “I’m fine” when the insurance adjuster asks “How are you?” could be used as evidence that you are not really injured. Do not answer any questions or speak about your injuries until you have talked to an attorney.
Delaying the Settlement
Insurance adjusters are also known to delay the settlement by requesting information that they do not need in order to make an offer. By delaying the resolution of the case, the insurance adjuster hopes that you will become fed up with waiting and agree to accept a settlement that is lower than what you deserve.
Medical Authorization Forms
At some point, the insurance adjuster may ask you to sign a medical authorization form so he can obtain your medical records related to the accident. What he may forget to tell you is that by signing this form, you give the insurance adjuster access to all of your medical records, not just those that are associated with the accident. The insurance adjuster will use immediately begin looking for evidence that you had a pre-existing condition that limits the amount of compensation you are able to recover. Keep your medical history private—don’t sign anything without speaking to an attorney.
Be Nice
You may be surprised at how friendly the insurance adjuster is towards you, especially if you’ve been warned about negotiating with an insurance company. But, this is all an act. The insurance adjuster will continue to be nice to you so you don’t feel threatened enough to hire an attorney.
Don’t let these settlement tactics affect the outcome of your personal injury claim. If you have been injured, contact Reisch Law Firm at once. Our attorneys will communicate with the insurance company on your behalf so the insurance adjuster does not have the opportunity to use these tactics on you. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
