Dealing with an Insurance Adjuster: What Not to Say

&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;pexels&period;com&sol;photo&sol;crop-businessman-giving-contract-to-woman-to-sign-3760067&sol;">Source<&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mh-content-ad"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js&quest;client&equals;ca-pub-9162800720558968"&NewLine; crossorigin&equals;"anonymous"><&sol;script>&NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle"&NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block&semi; text-align&colon;center&semi;"&NewLine; data-ad-layout&equals;"in-article"&NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"fluid"&NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-9162800720558968"&NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"1081854981"><&sol;ins>&NewLine;<script>&NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi;&NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>After the shock of a <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;rosenfeldinjurylawyers&period;com&sol;chicago-car-accident&period;html">car wreck<&sol;a>&comma; it can be hard to know exactly what happened&period; Naturally&comma; gathering evidence isn’t at the top of your priorities — you just want to make sure everyone is safe&period; But just a couple days after a car accident&comma; you’ll get a call from an insurance claims adjuster&period; You need to be very careful what you say — you’d be surprised what the insurance company can hold against you&period; Knowing what to expect when the other party’s insurance adjuster calls is the best way to prepare&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Don’t forget that you have every right to a car wreck lawyer&comma; and read on below for some tips&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">1&period; Before you talk to an insurance adjuster&comma; understand their role&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>An insurance adjuster has three main priorities&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ol class&equals;"wp-block-list"><li>Prevent insurance fraud — make sure you’re not outright lying&period;<&sol;li><li>Settle claims for a low amount&period;<&sol;li><li>Settle claims quickly&period;<&sol;li><&sol;ol>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Often&comma; insurance adjusters deal with 100 claims per month&period; They have a lot on their plate&comma; and they don’t necessarily have specialized medical or legal training&period; When you and your lawyer demonstrate advanced knowledge of your case — backed up by evidence— you already have a leg up&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>When a claims adjuster calls&comma; immediately find out who you’re speaking to&comma; and who they represent&period; After that&comma; keep the conversation concise&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">2&period; Avoid giving lots of details about the accident or your material damages&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>It’s natural that you’re shocked from the accident&period; Unfortunately&comma; insurance adjusters are often playing off this shock&period; Do not make guesses about what happened&comma; and never admit partial liability&period; Maybe a driver struck your car while they were texting — but you forgot to put your signal on&period; Before you mention that you did something wrong&comma; wait to speak to your lawyer&comma; because evidence might later reveal other variables&period; And when the insurance adjuster asks you about damages to your <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;rosenfeldinjurylawyers&period;com&sol;truck-accidents&period;html">vehicle<&sol;a>&comma; get a quote from your own auto-repair shop&comma; not the shop they suggest&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">3&period; Avoid giving a lot of details about the injury&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Car accidents are very frightening&period; At the end of the day&comma; you feel grateful to still be living and breathing&period;&nbsp&semi; Combined with adrenaline&comma; this feeling can make your injuries seem less consequential&period; But often&comma; a report comes back&comma; stating your injury is more serious than you originally thought&period; Waiting for a proper medical diagnosis pays off&period; An insurance adjuster will take it far more seriously than a self-diagnosis&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">4&period; Do not sign anything or give a recorded statement&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>You’re still recovering from the shock of your car accident&period; When asked for a recorded statement&comma; you might apologize or exaggerate&period; You might omit important details&period; An insurance adjuster might ask for access to your medical files&comma; and this might seem harmless&period; However&comma; with access to files from years ago&comma; an insurance adjuster might try to argue that your conditions were pre-existing&period; So instead&comma; send a statement in writing with your lawyer&comma; and attach all necessary evidence&period; You can plan out exactly what to say&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">5&period; Don’t settle on the first offer&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Most insurance adjusters have allocated a specific amount of money for your claim&period; They will purposefully offer you a lower offer than what is allocated — and hope you accept it&period; A quick&comma; low-stress settlement might seem like a good deal&period; But you should absolutely negotiate — even if an offer seems good — because negotiation will get you more money&period; So&comma; gather compelling evidence and make a counteroffer&period; Remember&comma; the insurance adjuster wants to settle the claim&comma; too&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">With all that in mind…<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Above all&comma; don’t exaggerate or apologize&period; Keep your first conversation with the insurance adjuster concise until the facts are straight&period; Insurance adjusters are paid to keep costs down — so naturally&comma; they’ll have some tricks up their sleeves&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Reach out to a lawyer if you have questions&period; A lawyer who specializes in car accidents can be at your side the whole way through these tough negotiations&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>This <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;rosenfeldinjurylawyers&period;com&sol;news&sol;dealing-with-insurance-adjuster-what-not-to-say&sol;">article<&sol;a> written by <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;rosenfeldinjurylawyers&period;com&sol;jonathan-rosenfeld&period;html">Jonathan Rosenfled<&sol;a> is lifted from <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;rosenfeldinjurylawyers&period;com&sol;chicago-car-accident&period;html">Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

Insurance Adjuster