October 4, 2018

How to Handle Insurance Adjusters After a Car Accident

A car accident can leave anyone shaken up. When insurance adjusters call you about your accident, you may not have all the facts yet and may say something that could potentially prevent you from getting full compensation. But you don’t have to do this alone. A Cincinnati car accident lawyer from Bey & Associates can help you with your claim and handle insurance adjusters.

Ohio citizens who have been injured by negligent parties deserve to get compensation for what they’ve gone through. Bey & Associates will fight to get you a favorable settlement that will help you recover from the accident.

What Should You Never Say to an Insurance Adjuster?

You can feel rattled or off after you’ve been in an accident. It’s important to not speak to an adjuster when your mind is cloudy and you’re not sure of the information you can give them. When you’re feeling more like yourself, make sure you do not say any of the following after an accident.

  • Agree to Be Recorded. An insurance adjuster may ask to record your conversation. You should refuse this because in a recorded statement, your words can be used against you. This could result in risking your ability to get full compensation.
  • Apologies. Do not apologize at all for the accident. It may feel normal to say that you’re sorry that the accident occurred, but this can be seen as you taking responsibility for causing the accident.
  • Downplaying Your Injuries. Your adjuster may ask how you’re feeling and you may think it’s conversational, but saying something like “I’m fine” could suggest that you’re not injured. You may not know the full extent of your injuries. You may be feeling slight pain in your neck but find out later that you really have a back injury. Telling the adjuster about the pain in your neck but not your back could insure you for only a neck injury and they may ask why you never mentioned the back pain, even though you didn’t know about it yet.
  • Opinion Statements. Avoid starting sentences with “I think.” Don’t guess on anything and only stick to the information that the adjuster needs to know.

Speaking to an insurance adjuster can be a daunting task—you never know if you’re going to say the wrong thing or what they’re going to ask you. However, you can trust this conversation to your car accident lawyer. They can represent you and be the person to take those phone calls. This way, you can trust that someone skilled and experienced in dealing with insurance adjusters is speaking on your behalf and you won’t have to worry about harassing phone calls.

Is There Any Information You Should Tell an Insurance Adjuster?

If you do need to speak to your insurance adjuster, there are a few factual items that you can tell them.

  • Driver Information. They will need to know about the other party or parties involved in the accident. You can provide that person’s name, contact information, and their insurance information. You can also provide information about their car if you know its make, model, or license plate.
  • Location of Your Vehicle. Your vehicle will need to be inspected for damages. There’s a good chance it’s at a mechanic or dealership, and you can tell the adjuster where it is without worrying.
  • Facts Only. No matter what, only tell the adjuster facts about the accident. If they start asking for more details, you can say you’re waiting for the police report. The more details you reveal, the more room they have to find reasons to lower your compensation.

Sticking to these three main points will help you overcome this necessary part of the claims process without worrying about jeopardizing your claim.

Let a Cincinnati Car Accident Lawyer Help You

Insurance adjusters can be intimidating, and you may depend on your compensation to help you move forward. Your compensation can help with any medical bills you’ve incurred, future medical treatments, if you’ve had to miss work, property damage repairs, and pain and suffering. The thought that one wrong sentence could ruin that can be overwhelming.

Take the stress off your shoulders and let Bey & Associates help you. We’ve proudly represented citizens of Georgia and are eager to provide the same legal services to Ohio. We can handle calls from insurance adjusters so you can focus on getting better. Get in touch with us today and you can schedule a free consultation. We’ll discuss the merits of your case and how you should proceed to protect your best interests.

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