4 Tips for Dealing with an Insurance Adjuster
If you have been injured and had expenses related to the injury, you may have filed a claim with your insurance company. It may have even already escalated to a lawsuit to get the money you are entitled to. If your claim is sufficiently large or your injury is sufficiently serious, you will eventually have to speak with an insurance adjuster about what happened. This is an extremely important experience, and one that can have a huge impact on your case. Before you say one word to an adjuster, make sure you read through the following tips.
Never Delay in Seeking Medical Attention
You likely received medical care immediately after your injury, which is important. In most serious injuries, however, you will also need some type of follow up care. This could be physical therapy, routine checks with a specialist, or any number of things as recommended by the doctors on your case. Some people are tempted to try to “tough it out” or put it off because they don’t like doctors, or because they don’t have the money for the co-pay.
An insurance adjuster may actually look at this and use it to try to show that your injuries weren’t that serious. If you didn’t even bother to follow the doctor’s directions, they may question how serious the injury could be. With this, and your overall health, in mind, make sure you follow all the advice of your doctors or other medical professionals.
Don’t Offer Information That Isn’t Asked For
As the adjuster is talking with you about what happened, it can be very tempting to elaborate and provide additional details that go beyond what was asked for. While this may seem like a natural thing to do, it can be a massive mistake that could seriously hurt your claim. Think of the insurance adjuster just like the police and remind yourself, “anything you say can, and will, be used against you.”
Insurance Adjusters Are NOT on Your Side
Related to the previous point is the fact that the insurance adjusters are absolutely not on your side. Many of them will try to tell you that their job is to gather the facts so you can get your claim completed as quickly as possible, or something similar, but that is not the case. They work for the insurance company, and their job is to keep the payouts that their company has to pay to a minimum. They are not obligated to be honest with you or help you in any way.
Never Accept Settlement Offers without Consulting an Attorney
An insurance adjuster may offer to settle your claim quite quickly, and may even present this as a great option to avoid delays and get you your money fast. While it can certainly be tempting to get a check in your hand right away, it can cost you thousands of dollars (or even more!). While settlements can be a good option in some cases, you should never agree to one without first consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney. Contact Abdallah Law to schedule a consultation and get the help you need when dealing with an insurance adjuster.