500+ five star reviewsA car accident is a traumatic event that leaves the mind racing and the nerves ablaze. But as frightening as an accident can be, it’s critical that accident victims gather their strength and calm their senses before interacting with insurance adjusters.
Below, the Chattanooga injury lawyers from Dennis & Winningham Law explain how to deal with insurance adjusters after an accident and what victims can do to protect a potential injury claim.
Who Are Insurance Adjusters?
Insurance adjusters, also called claims adjusters, investigate insurance claims by interviewing the claimant, witnesses, police, and hospital personnel. They also inspect and document property damage to determine the extent of liability in a claim.
More importantly, the role of an insurance adjuster includes negotiating with the claimant. And contrary to popular belief, adjusters don’t work hard for their policyholders; rather, they work hard to keep payouts low for the insurance company.
An adjuster’s job performance is based on keeping payouts low and processing claims quickly. To achieve this end, adjusters are known to ask leading questions in an effort to discredit your claim, limit the payout, and push toward a quick settlement.
If this doesn’t sound fair, you’re not alone in your thinking. At Dennis & Winningham Law, we fight hard and push back against greedy insurance adjusters. We’re tough negotiators and ready to stand behind injured victims who need our help.
If you’ve been injured, call our Chattanooga office today at 423-417-1379, or contact us online.
How to Deal with Insurance Adjusters
After an accident, it’s very common for people to call their insurer before they contact an attorney. Talking to your insurer is fine following a minor crash, but you should keep the conversation brief and avoid the urge to help the adjuster gather information or piece together what happened.
For serious crashes or injuries such as catastrophic injuries or traumatic brain injury, it’s best to let an attorney handle all interactions with insurance. And here’s why: by the time you speak to an adjuster, they already have a pretty good idea of what happened and who’s responsible.
The real reason they’re interested in talking to you is to gather statements that could limit your claim.
If you must talk to an insurance adjuster, keep comments neutral; don’t embellish. Avoid guessing, estimating, or supposing about anything. If you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s okay to say you don’t know.
If you’ve been seriously injured, the best way to handle an insurance adjuster is to hire an attorney to do it for you.
Protect Your Insurance Claim
The last thing an insurance adjuster wants a policyholder to do is to hire an injury lawyer. Adjusters are aware that most people don’t understand the claims process well enough to navigate it effectively; they exploit this every chance they get.
An experienced injury lawyer is an intimidating adversary who knows the playbook and will make decisions in the interest of their client—not the insurance company!
Plus, victims that hire an attorney are more likely to win a comprehensive settlement; this might include compensation for things like medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and property damage.
Don’t let an insurance adjuster push you around after an accident or injury. If you’ve been injured, Dennis & Winningham Law is ready to be your advocate and fight for your legal rights.
GET THE MOST MONEY FOR YOUR CLAIM—LEARN HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN GET WITH A FREE CASE REVIEW FROM ONE OF OUR ATTORNEYS AND ASK ABOUT OUR 25% DISCOUNT ATTORNEY FEE
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