A Brief Guide to Interacting With Insurance Company Representatives Following a Personal Injury

We are all vulnerable to accidents of varying sorts.  Potentially deadly accidents can occur in mere seconds.  Even if the event is over in an instant, there is the potential for the resulting pain to last a lifetime.  If you are injured and another person, party or institution is even partially at fault, you need a seasoned personal injury attorney in your corner.  However, there will likely be some conversations with insurance company representatives that you handle on your own before hiring an attorney or simply to facilitate your claim.  Let’s take a quick look at how to approach these interactions to ensure justice is served.

Recognize the Insurance Adjuster’s Self-interest

The insurance company representative will make every attempt to limit your claim value, minimize your recovery and protect his or her employer’s bottom line.  This professional is not on your side so do not be fooled by the friendly demeanor.  Do not let your guard down.  However, it is a mistake to be overly-defensive.  The adjuster will likely attempt to persuade you to take the pro se route by pursuing the claim on your own as opposed to hiring an attorney.  This is a monumental mistake as you need legal representation to ensure you do not fall into the many traps set by insurance company personnel and opposing counsel.

Watch What You Say

“Do not admit even the slightest bit of fault when discussing the accident with the insurance company representative” says Richard D. Schibell.  A single misstatement or the misuse of a word has the potential to backfire in a big way, doom your case and ultimately leave you with minimal or no compensation.  The adjuster will ask you to provide a statement on the record.  Do not give consent to such a statement as it is nothing but a trap.  Refuse to give a statement until you have consulted with your attorney about the matter.  Furthermore, if you are taking any medication, you might not be thinking clearly at the time of the phone call with the insurance adjuster.  Refrain from interactions with insurance company representatives until you are of sound mind.

Do not Accept the Initial Settlement Offer

Insurance adjusters are more than willing to set traps.  The settlement trap is the most egregiously manipulative of them all.  The insurance adjuster will likely float out a low settlement offer hoping you accept it without reviewing the details with your attorney and ultimately take much less than your case is worth.  Be patient, take your time, have your injuries diagnosed in full and confer with our legal team prior to even considering a settlement offer.

Do not let the Insurance Adjuster get You Down!

Insurance adjusters are trained to insinuate claims are worth less than they actually are.  Some go as far as insisting there are major problems with the case when no such issues exist.  This negativity is nothing more than an attempt to get you to think your case is worth less than it really is.  Remain positive, consult with our legal team, lead by Richard Schibell, and we will do everything to maximize your payout.

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