When Should I Talk to an Insurance Adjuster After an Accident?
You have a lot of responsibilities to juggle after being in a car accident. There’s the matter of contacting your insurance company, getting started on your claim, and you have to take care of yourself so you heal. You may have to visit specialists or do physical therapy. You’re wondering about when you will be better and when you can return to work. In this confusing time, you may get a call from an insurance adjuster about your accident. Unfortunately, what you say to them can be used to give you less compensation than you deserve.
A Milwaukee, WI car accident lawyer from Urban & Taylor can help you with your claim. We’ll look you’re your case and hold the negligent party liable for their actions. With a personal injury lawyer at your side, you can rest assured that your rights are protected and we will make sure you aren’t given compensation that’s less than you deserve. If you have any questions about your claim, feel free to give our offices a call today. You can schedule a free consultation to go over your case.
What If an Insurance Adjuster Calls Me?
Soon after your car accident, you may get a call from an insurance adjuster. They may ask you basic questions and then progress into making a statement about the car accident. It’s imperative that you don’t give any statement about the wreck. You may even not have all the details. Police reports and investigations are better indicators of finding out what happened. But this won’t stop an insurance adjuster from asking you what happened. The insurance adjuster is most likely looking for details that will help reduce the amount of money they’d owe you. One way of reducing your compensation is proving that you were partially liable.
Partial liability shows that while the accident may have been the other party’s fault, additional damages done to you may have been your fault. An example would be if the other driver was looking at their phone and when they switched lanes they hit you, but you were also speeding, which could have made your injuries worse.
You also shouldn’t make any statements about how you’re feeling. Your body still may be in shock from the crash. Adrenaline can mask the signs of symptoms. Telling the insurance adjuster you’re not in pain can make it difficult to get compensation for medical expenses and care.
It may feel conversational to say you’re okay with a little bit of pain, but that can be used against you and you can be accused of exaggerating your claim in court. Talking about where you feel pain can also hurt your compensation because symptoms may change and aren’t always an indicator of where the injury is. A back injury could have symptoms of neck pain. If you told the insurance adjuster about the neck pain, then a few days later back pain started, you may not get compensation for back injuries because you didn’t mention it.
What Information Should I Tell an Insurance Adjuster?
Before taking phone calls from insurance adjusters, you may want to already have a car accident lawyer to help you with these conversations. They can tell you what information you can share with insurance adjusters and what you need to keep to yourself. There’s also a chance your lawyer could speak as your representative so you don’t have to worry about the conversation at all.
They may ask you if they can record the conversation. Do not consent to this so your phone call can’t be used as a statement. If an adjuster is from another insurance company, you don’t have to tell them anything about the crash or your medical condition.
If you get a call from an insurance adjuster, there are a few details you can tell them about the case. You can tell them where your vehicle is located so they can inspect the damage for the crash.
Insurance adjusters may try and rush your claim so you settle early. Your car accident lawyer won’t let this happen. Claims take time and you need to know the full extent of your injuries, what the recovery will cost, and the damages done to your property. Dealing with insurance adjusters may seem intimidating, but your personal injury lawyer is there to look out for your best interests. They’ll be able to advise you on what to do and how to proceed so you give yourself every chance to get a favorable settlement.
