No one enjoys being in a car accident. Not only do you need to contend with your personal injuries and car damages, but you also have to deal with auto insurance adjusters. While you will need to speak with the adjuster from your own auto insurance company, you may also be contacted by the adjuster for the other driver.
There are some important things to remember in any conversation with the other driver’s insurance company. Following these guidelines can be the difference between getting a good settlement later or nothing at all:
#1 Provide Limited Information.
The insurance adjuster will probably want to get a recorded statement from you about the accident. You should refuse to have the statement recorded because lawyers can pore over the recording later and use it against you. You should tell the insurance adjuster only the very basic things, such as your name, address, and telephone number. Regarding the accident, you should keep your words very limited. Just recite the facts: where, when, type of accident, and any witnesses. Say that you are still investigating the accident and will talk more about it later (ideally with a personal injury attorney at your side).
#2 Do Not Discuss Your Injuries.
The adjuster will want to know if you are hurt. Do not provide any details. You could leave out important information or discover a more serious injury later. The injury you have could turn out to be worse than you expected.
#3 Take Careful Notes.
As soon as you have finished speaking with the claims adjuster, you should write down all of the information you remember. Also write down any information you gave. Write down the name of the adjuster, too.
#4 Set Limits.
In the first call with the other driver’s adjuster, make it clear that you are only going to speak briefly. Also note that further phone contact with you will be limited unless your attorney is present. These are good ideas because adjusters will call often, trying to get you to settle for as little as possible, and they can get quite annoying. Also, until you have a chance to think about the accident and be medically evaluated, you really do not have a lot of information to relay to the insurance adjuster. If you provide inaccurate information on the phone, the adjuster will hold you to that later even if the facts have changed.
#5 No Recorded Statements.
Never agree to have the conversation recorded. There is no legal obligation for it. Anything you say could easily be used against you later by a clever attorney. Just simply saying you are “ok” after an accident can be used against you later when you try to make a claim.
#6 Don’t Settle Early.
When their client is responsible for the accident, they will try to get you to settle as soon as they can. Do not take the bait. Instead, call your attorney, who will handle the settlement negotiations.
Talk to an Austin Personal Injury Attorney
If you are in an accident and are being called by insurance company adjusters, you should let the professionals deal with them. Contact us at Guajardo Injury Law, and we will make sure your interests are protected. We offer FREE consultations, and we will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve. Call us at (512) 500-2450.