After a car accident, you will find yourself spending a substantial amount of time on the phone. One of the phone calls you receive will come from the other party’s insurance company. It is crucial to carefully navigate this call and to avoid engaging in too much conversation with the adjuster. Anything you say, no matter how harmless it might seem, can potentially poke holes in your claim and reduce your ability to recover damages.Tips to Handle Your First Call
Although the insurance adjuster’s interests are not aligned with yours, you should still strive to be polite during your first call and any subsequent calls. Being rude will not convince the attorney to be any more helpful to you, so try not to take your anger and frustration on him or her.
Below are some more helpful tips for you to consider:
- Find out who you are speaking to: Before you get started on discussing anything, ask for the insurance adjuster’s name, a callback number, and the company he or she represents.
- Do not provide too much personal information: You do not need to divulge every little detail about your life, so try to limit how much personal information you provided, even if you are prompted to say more. You only need to tell the adjuster your full name, mailing address, and phone number. You can also tell the adjuster where you work, but you do not have to explain what you do or what your wages are.
- Do not discuss the accident: The insurance adjuster will likely ask you to recount what happened and you might feel obligated to answer this, but it is not required of you. Stick to the basics and tell the adjuster where the accident happened, the names of everyone involved, what time it occurred, and what kind of vehicles were involved.
- Do not provide any information about your injuries: It is far too early to start discussing whether or not you are hurt. Oftentimes, you will receive your first call from the other party’s insurance company before you even have a chance to go to the hospital, so politely decline any question regarding your injuries. You and your attorney will provide these details when you write your demand letter and begin negotiating your settlement.
- Do not agree to give a recorded statement: The insurance adjuster might ask you to give a recorded statement. You are not obligated to provide this and doing so will likely harm your claim, so politely refuse to give a recorded statement.
Contact a Knowledgeable Personal Injury Attorney Today!
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact the team at Christian & Christian for the fierce legal advocacy you need during this troubling time. Our team has more than 100 years of combined legal experience and a history of proven success. You can rely on us to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Contact our law firm today at (864) 408-8883 to schedule a free case review.
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