Personal Injury Claims: What You Need To Know About Working With An Insurance Adjuster

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Personal Injury Claims: What You Need To Know About Working With An Insurance Adjuster

The likelihood that the adjuster who contacts you will be polite and helpful increases with the size of your injury claim. They are more inclined to be unpleasant and abrupt if they believe your claim is weak. Let’s say a certain insurance firm thinks it faces a high risk of financial loss. If this is the case, the adjuster may seem friendly and cooperative, even seeming fair, until the money is brought up.

The adjuster’s friendliness and apparent helpfulness may be a ploy to prevent you from engaging a car accident attorney in cases involving considerable damage. A personal injury lawyer accepts responsibility, “you don’t need to employ an attorney,” and “they’ll only take part of the money” are all things that adjusters have been known to say. The insurance company is discouraging you from hiring an attorney for a reason, and it’s not in your best interest.

Method Used By Insurance Agencies

Giving the appearance that your damages will be dealt with equitably by the adjuster. When an insurance adjuster says phrases like “we accept responsibility,” the victim often incorrectly assumes that the company will make a reasonable settlement offer.

Sometimes it takes the insurance adjuster to discuss possible compensation with the injured party before they realize they need legal representation. The sad truth is that this typically occurs months after the initial injury.

The victim expected the insurer to treat them fairly; therefore, they didn’t do many things that might have helped document the claim.

Words Have Consequences

As soon as possible after an automobile accident, the insurance company would want to interview the victim about the incident for a recorded statement. Some may go so far as to say they cannot handle your claim without a statement from you. This is not the case for damage claims filed with the other party’s insurer in Texas. Also, regarding “estimated” medical costs, early offers or settlements should be treated cautiously. It’s a bad idea to let the insurance company off the hook like that. In a recent case heard in Texas, an oral settlement agreement was affirmed.

Insurance adjusters who have received specific training in this area take personal injury claim statements. You shouldn’t let them dictate what you say. If you were asked, “When did you first see the other vehicle?” you’d have to assume that you spotted the other victim’s vehicle before the collision.

A further topic of discussion and documented statements is the severity of injuries. It’s not uncommon for victims to not learn the full extent of their injuries for many days. Sometimes the pain in one region is so severe that it masks the symptoms of other health issues. It’s best to withhold comments while medicating.

Don’t Fall For The Tricks Of The Insurance Companies

The adjuster’s goal is to make a claim seem less valuable than it is. An adjuster’s tone may suggest that they have issues with the medical or that you are somewhat to blame. Claims might have their value diminished through subtle comments. Just ignore it; it’s a trap.

To save money, the insurance company will try to settle your claim for as little as possible. To impress their superiors, adjusters need only settle a case for a fraction of the original cost to earn recognition.

The adjuster’s negativity could be a hint that you need legal representation. Numerous studies have demonstrated that people who are competent attorneys are more successful financially than those who attempt to represent themselves.

  • Method Used By Insurance Agencies

Looking to divide up the blame when one of their insureds is at fault for an accident. This is a common strategy employed by insurance adjusters to reduce the amount of money their insured is liable for. This is typically done despite evidence in the accident report pointing to the insured driver’s negligence as the primary cause of the collision.

  • Method Used By Insurance Agencies

Adjusters employ the practice of discounting medical bills and expenses to lower the total amount of compensation they are obligated to pay. Texas law limits the victim’s recovery to expenses “paid or incurred.” Still, adjusters often try to decrease that amount by arguing that the victim’s expenses were excessive, unneeded, or otherwise not covered by the policy. The insurance provider occasionally would “audit” the invoices by having a helpful third-party propose saving on everything they submit.

Some insurance adjusters will employ tactics like these to negotiate a lower settlement with the policyholder. Since they are not accustomed to the claims procedure and processes and do not understand the opposing positions of the parties, personal injury victims are typically at a disadvantage.

Before speaking with an adjuster about a personal injury claim, plaintiffs must consult with an experienced and qualified personal injury attorney.

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