If you have been injured in a car accident, one of the first things that a personal injury attorney will tell you is that you shouldn’t speak to the insurance adjuster assigned to your case. Why? Your attorney will know how to deal with an insurance adjuster, so it’s best that you leave this task up to him instead of handling it on your own and potentially making a mistake that could affect your claim.
What an Insurance Adjuster Does After the Accident
To understand why you should let an attorney handle the insurance company, it’s important to learn about what the insurance adjuster does. The insurance company will assign an adjuster to your case as soon as they are notified about the accident. The adjuster is given the task of researching the accident to determine exactly what happened, who is at fault, and the value of the claim.
To investigate the accident, the insurance adjuster will most likely reach out to you and ask that you provide a statement. He may ask both parties to submit evidence of injuries and property damage as well. After he has gathered all of the evidence related to the accident, he will determine the value of your claim and then begin the process of negotiating a settlement.
Why You Shouldn’t Speak to an Insurance Adjuster
Giving a statement to an insurance adjuster may seem innocent enough, but you should never do this without talking to an attorney. Why? Any statement that you make can be taken out of context and used to prove that you were partially or completely at fault for the accident. Your words could also be used to prove that you are not suffering from serious injuries, and therefore should not receive compensation. Even answering the question, “How are you?” with “I’m ok,” could be twisted around by the insurance adjuster and reported as “The victim says she is ok.”
The adjuster may also contact you immediately after the accident and offer you a settlement. There’s no way for you to know the extent of your injuries or property damage shortly after an accident, so it’s never wise to accept this deal. This is just another tactic that insurance companies use to try to avoid paying you the compensation that you deserve.
Remember, the insurance adjuster does not work for you, he works for the insurance company. Insurance companies are only concerned with reducing risk and maximizing profit, so you shouldn’t expect them to put your needs first.
If you have been injured in a car accident, let an experienced personal injury attorney at Reisch Law Firm handle the insurance adjuster. Our attorneys will ensure that you do not fall for any of the insurance adjuster’s tricks so you can receive the compensation that you deserve. Schedule a consultation with us today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
