Tips On Dealing With Insurance Adjusters After an Accident
Posted on Thursday, July 10th, 2014 at 9:01 am
In Northern Kentucky, a car accident occurs several times every hour on average. Often, following a car accident, injured Northern Kentucky drivers will receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company asking for a recorded statement about the injury. Below are tips that will ensure you get full and fair compensation for any injuries you receive in an accident.
You Must Cooperate With Your Insurance Company But You Don’t Have to Do it Directly
To some extent, your insurance company is on your side because they would prefer that the other driver’s insurance company pay for damages to the vehicle, and that will only happen if the other driver is responsible. However, your insurance company’s adjuster has far less “skin in the game” than you do, and you can’t expect that person to go out on a limb for you the way a retained attorney will. Your duty to cooperate with your own insurance company does not mean that you are required to deal with them directly, however. If you already have Northern Kentucky personal injury attorney retained, ask the insurance company to contact your attorney instead! That is what you pay the attorney for.
You Do Not Have to Cooperate With The Other Person’s Insurance Company
In Northern Kentucky, it is legal for the other driver’s insurance company to contact injured motorists, and even to tell the injured motorist that they have to give a recorded statement! That is not always a bad thing; in fact, if your injuries are minimal or non-existent and the police report places liability on the other driver, you may want to talk to the other driver’s adjuster to speed things along. However, if you are being treated by a doctor in Northern Kentucky for your auto related injuries and do not see any end to the treatment in sight; you should contact a Northern Kentucky personal injury lawyer first.
The Other Driver’s Insurance Company Adjuster Is Your Opponent!
It is important for injured Northern Kentucky drivers, if still being treated for injuries, to contact an attorney before speaking to the other driver’s insurance adjuster because the other driver’s insurance adjuster is looking for a way to reduce the amount that has to be paid to resolve the other driver’s liability for the accident. It is rare for the adjuster to offer you nothing, but it is not the adjuster’s job to offer you a fair amount. It is not the adjuster’s job to seek justice. And it is certainly not the adjuster’s job to maximize your recovery or advise you of all the kinds of damages that are available to you.
Your First Statements Can Affect Future Settlements
First impressions are critical. Do you understand what your injuries are? If you don’t, the adjuster will set aside a sum of money as a “reserve” on your claim that represents the minimum potential injury and perhaps refuse to go over that amount later on. Only giving a detailed and credible account of your injuries and future medical treatment will create a reserve that matches your need. Don’t try to make up potential future treatment, as the adjuster is trained to spot this! The experienced Northern Kentucky personal injury attorneys at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC know how to account for medical costs so you get full and fair compensation.
The Insurance System is an Adversarial System That’s Is Best Handled by a Lawyer
Nearly everyone that is seriously injured in a car accident, in Northern Kentucky and elsewhere, winds up needing an attorney because the insurance system is an adversarial system, pitting you against a multi-billion dollar insurance company. Most Northern Kentucky citizens prefer not to deal with adjusters directly and do not know how to effectively negotiate a settlement. Most also prefer not to deal with the headaches and paperwork associated with an insurance claim.
If you or someone you know was hurt in an accident, please contact Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC today to get full and fair compensation for your injuries!
Contact Us (859.371.5997) for a Free Consultation