After you get into an accident involving a car, truck, bicycle, motorcycle, or any other accident covered by insurance, you will receive a call from the other party’s insurance company soon after.
This is routine for insurance providers, but it is far from insignificant. Your conversation with an insurance adjuster can be the difference between receiving compensation for your injury-related costs and having to foot the bill yourself. Getting it right is absolutely key to a swift, conflict-free recovery.
So what should you say (or avoiding saying) when an insurance adjuster calls?
How to Handle Your Call with the Other Party’s Insurance Adjuster
In order to increase your chances of getting the compensation you need and deserve, there are 3 things you must avoid. When the insurance adjuster calls, be sure to avoid the following traps:
- Taking your frustration out on the insurance adjuster: There’s no good time for an adjuster to call, especially if you are in the hospital recovering, and you probably won’t be thrilled about talking to them. However, you can significantly increase your chances of a positive outcome by being agreeable and understanding that the insurance adjuster is just doing their job. Put simply, they are more likely to recommend a favorable payout if you are kind and cooperative.
- Discussing your accident: It is okay to give them your basic contact information, though you will need to push back and avoid answering other questions about the accident and how it occurred, as well as other questions about your job, income, etc. Even if they push you to make a statement about the accident or provide specifics beyond the date and location of the accident, you must politely decline to answer.
- Talking about your injuries and losses: Chances are that the other party’s insurance adjuster will want to know what kind of injuries you sustained in the accident, how much it has cost you, how long it’s been since you went in to work, and other such questions. If you tell the adjuster anything, provide vague descriptions of your injuries (i.e. “I hurt my neck” or “I hit my head”) and tell them you plan to continue receiving medical treatment.
Legal Representation for Personal Injury Victims in Mt. Pleasant & Charleston
Still uneasy about talking to another person’s insurance company? We can help with that. Our experienced legal team at the Lawton Law Firm, LLC is here to guide you and advise you throughout your injury case, from beginning to end. If you are worried about saying the wrong thing when talking to an insurance adjuster or need help talking about your injury in a way that won’t hurt your chances, give us a call and let our Charleston personal injury attorney help.
You can reach us by calling (843) 960-3223, or you can contact us online to schedule your confidential consultation.