How to Handle Insurance Adjusters After a California Personal Injury
While interacting with insurance adjusters might not be your immediate concern after a personal injury accident, it plays a pivotal role in your healing process. Securing fair compensation for injuries due to someone else’s negligence will enable you to access valuable resources and medical treatments. The expertise of a personal injury lawyer can prove invaluable, as they will ensure you do not communicate with the opposing side in ways that may work against your case, such as admitting fault inadvertently, recording statements, or accepting lowball settlement offers.
The lawyers at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp. will handle communications and negotiations with insurance adjusters on your behalf, safeguarding your rights and advocating for the full compensation that you deserve. We have over 30 years of experience and the resources to help you achieve a favorable resolution.
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6 Tips for Handling Insurance Adjusters After a Personal Injury Accident
Insurance adjusters may seem like they want to pay out a settlement in your best interest. However, this is not the case. Their only concern is protecting their own bottom line and reducing your settlement value, which may not cover your future losses.
The following are tips for handling the unfair tactics insurance companies use after a personal injury accident:
1. Avoid Acknowledging Liability
In California, acknowledging responsibility for an accident can make you liable for the ensuing damages. Therefore, uttering statements that could be interpreted as an admission of guilt can jeopardize or even eliminate your chances of securing a settlement. It can be difficult to refrain from sharing excessive details about the incident, as most people are honest and sincerely think others are operating with similar good intentions. Sadly, however, insurance companies often take advantage of their clients’ inexperience with these types of situations, and they may use certain tactics to have you inadvertently incriminate yourself.
2. Seek Legal Counsel
A personal injury lawyer is instrumental in preventing you from making statements that could harm your accident claim. At Eric Ratinoff Law Corp., we are well-acquainted with the strategies employed by insurance companies and employ various approaches to increase your chances of success. Insurance companies may discourage you from consulting a lawyer, implying you must speak with them first. However, you have the legal right to consult your personal injury lawyer before engaging with insurance representatives to ensure your right to compensation is protected. At the very least, we encourage you to book a free consultation with an experienced attorney prior to talking to any insurance adjustor.
3. Exercise Caution with Recorded Statements
Insurance representatives may approach you for a recorded statement under the guise of clarifying accident details. More often than not, this is a tactic meant to confuse you and use your words against you in your pursuit of compensation. Regardless of what the insurance agent suggests, you are not legally required to give a recorded statement and can delegate this task to your personal injury lawyer.
4. Be Wary of Quick Settlements
Insurance companies might extend quick settlement offers, sometimes within a couple of days post-accident. While it might seem like a victory, be cautious. Such offers are often intentionally minimal, aiming to have you settle for less than you deserve before you fully know the extent of your damages. Once accepted, any subsequent costs related to your accident will be your responsibility, which is why it is prudent to have any settlement offers vetted by your personal injury lawyer.
While a quick settlement may be tempting to accept out of economic necessity, and it may even appear to be a large enough sum of money to cover your medical bills, most often this will leave you with future medical debt. Car accident injuries can take time to manifest and fully heal. Insurance companies know you need time to assess the full extent of what it will require to make you whole. This is what they want to avoid, so it’s quite common for them to send a settlement offer sooner than later.
5. Limit Information on Your Injuries
When asked about the specifics and severity of your injuries, be cautious. Any omission or escalation in your condition could be used against you by referring to your initial response, thereby undermining your claim. You are not obligated to provide exhaustive information about your injuries; instead, you can mention that you are still undergoing assessment and treatment and direct them to your personal injury lawyer for further details.
6. Diligently Record the Incident and Injuries
You must have comprehensive documentation of your injuries and the accident scene through photographs, videos, and other types of evidence. Thorough documentation can corroborate your narrative and support your claim.
Speak With the Personal Injury Lawyers at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp.
From cautiously choosing your words to diligently documenting your injuries and seeking timely legal counsel, every step protects you against an insurance adjuster’s unfair tactics. Insurance companies are not your allies; but we are. With over 30 years of experience, the lawyers at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp. know how to increase your chances of success by handling all aspects of your personal injury claim, including communications and negotiations with insurance companies.
Speak with one of our highly qualified personal injury lawyers at (916) 970-9100 today for a free consultation or fill out a contact form.
