Don’t be intimidated when an insurance adjuster contacts you after an accident, and seek help from our attorneys right away so that we can handle all correspondence with the insurance company.
If an insurance agent contacts you after a car accident, don’t talk to the adjuster yourself and refuse to give a recorded statement. Don’t give detailed information about your injuries, either, as your understanding of them might change with time. Do not immediately sign any settlements or releases, and let our lawyers explore all potential paths to recovery for your injuries.
Call the Schoenfeld Law Firm today at (504) 688-7760 for a free case review from our Lafayette, LA car accident attorneys.
What Not to Do When an Insurance Adjuster Contacts You After an Accident
Insurance adjusters often look for reasons to deny or underpay claims after accidents, and victims need to know what not to do to protect their financial recoveries.
Don’t Talk to the Insurance Adjuster Yourself
If an insurance adjuster contacts you after an accident, communicate only through an experienced attorney. Even in a no-fault state, where victims’ personal injury protection insurance is the first source of compensation, you could misspeak while talking with the insurance adjuster and harm your recovery.
Don’t Give Injury Details
Insurance adjusters often contact victims to ask detailed questions about their injuries. If an adjuster calls you after an accident, avoid giving any in-depth descriptions of your injuries, as you might not know their full extent immediately afterward. Our car accident attorneys can provide insurance adjusters with the medical documentation and information they need to approve claims, so you do not have to. Do not sign any blanket medical releases either.
Don’t Admit Fault
Be careful not to admit fault if an insurance adjuster contacts you about a recent accident. Even in no-fault states like New York, admitting that you contributed to the accident could compromise your case and payout because of comparative negligence.
Don’t Give a Recorded Statement
You should also not agree to give any recorded statements regarding the accident. This is usually an insurance adjuster’s first request after an accident, and it can put you in a compromising situation if you leave certain details out of a recorded statement and remember them later. You do not have to give a recorded statement, even if the insurance adjuster continues to ask you to do so or pressures you.
Don’t Sign a Settlement or Release
If an insurance adjuster contacts you with a settlement offer after a car accident, don’t automatically sign it without consulting with an attorney. Insurance adjusters often try to underpay claims and not give the full policy amount to limit the payout after an accident. The first offer may be far below the policy limits, making it unacceptable.
Do not verbally accept any offer or sign any documents that might end your case and prevent you from seeking additional compensation should you need it.
What Should You Do When an Insurance Adjuster Contacts You After an Accident?
While there are plenty of things you should avoid doing when an insurance adjuster contacts you after an accident, there are also active steps you should take toward recovering fair compensation.
The first thing you should do when an insurance adjuster contacts you after an accident is get an attorney you can trust. Your lawyer can communicate with the insurance adjuster on your behalf, stopping you from misspeaking and compromising your case.
Continue to get medical care for your injuries, and let our lawyers provide the insurance adjuster with the necessary medical evidence.
FAQs About Dealing with Insurance Adjusters After Accidents
Which Insurance Adjuster Will Contact You After an Accident?
In a no-fault state for car accidents like New York, an insurance adjuster from your own personal injury protection insurance provider will contact you after an accident, not an insurance adjuster from the at-fault driver’s liability insurance.
Do You Have to Give a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Adjuster After an Accident?
You are under no obligation to give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster, and can refuse, even if they say it is mandatory for you to get the payout you need.
Does an Insurance Adjuster Have Your Best Interests in Mind After an Accident?
Even if you are dealing with an insurance adjuster from your own insurance provider, they do not necessarily have your best interests in mind, unlike our attorneys when we handle your case. Don’t assume an insurance adjuster is on your side or giving you the best possible offer.
What if an Insurance Adjuster Never Offers a Good Enough Settlement?
If you don’t get a good enough payout from your personal injury protection insurance after an accident and pass the serious injury threshold in New York, you may also file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver for non-economic and other damages.
What Are Common Mistakes Victims Make When Dealing with Insurance Adjusters After Accidents?
Common mistakes victims make when dealing with insurance adjusters after accidents include giving recorded statements, assuming they don’t need an attorney during conversations with insurance adjusters, downplaying injuries, signing blanket medical releases, and accepting the first settlement offer.
How Might an Insurance Adjuster Contact You After an Accident?
Insurance adjusters typically make contact about claims via phone calls, though you may also receive correspondence via email or mail.
How Soon Might an Insurance Adjuster Contact You After an Accident?
An insurance adjuster may first attempt to contact you in as little as a day after you report a car accident. When dealing with an insurance adjuster from your own insurance company, you must cooperate, but should do so through our attorneys.
Call Us After Your Car Accident
You can call the Schoenfeld Law Firm at (504) 688-7760 for help with your case from our New Orleans, LA car accident attorneys.
