Speaking With The Other Side And Your Personal Injury Case
Insurance plays a big role in how much compensation a victim receives after an accident. However, it is important for victims to know when to contact a lawyer instead of dealing with the other driver's insurance adjuster. To further understand how victims can create problems with their cases by speaking to the wrong insurance representative, read more below.
Phone Your Agent
You may be injured after an accident but try to call your insurer once you are feeling better. Don't allow the issue of who caused the accident to enter into your decisions at this time. Your insurer should be informed about the accident. They will also want to know some basic information such as the date, location, and time.
They will obtain a copy of the accident report, which will contain most of the other information they need about the other driver and the cause of the accident. Once you have spoken to your insurer, be sure to confirm the name of the insurer on the phone if you should be contacted again. You should know who is calling before you begin speaking.
Harm From a Phone Call
It may be difficult to imagine that problems can spring from speaking to the other driver's insurance company. Look at the examples below and get a better idea of all the things that can happen when victims agree to speak to them on a recorded call:
- The accident adjusters are friendly. This might not seem like a problem for many but it can lull some victims into saying things they should not. For example, a victim could confide that they might have been driving too fast at the time of the wreck. That statement could create doubt about who caused the accident.
- The accident adjuster asks a lot of open-ended questions. An example might be "tell me how you are doing now". Most people naturally tone down their replies just to be polite. The adjuster will allow victims to ramble on and place spaces into the conversation. Victims may not realize that they are filling those spaces with harmful statements that are being recorded.
- The accident adjuster makes you an offer you cannot refuse. Unfortunately, many victims are unaware that it's too soon to settle their cases. It's impossible to know a few weeks after an accident the outcome of the injuries. The amount might sound like it's enough to a victim that is worried about being out of work. However, the first offer is always a lowball amount.
You don't have to speak to the other side when you have your own personal injury lawyer to help you. Speak to a lawyer and find out more about your auto accident case.