It’s enough to deal with when you are trying to get your life back together after a car accident – shouldn’t working with an insurance company be less frustrating? Unfortunately, it rarely is. In most cases, the reality of filing a claim means that you, the accident, and everything that happened before and after the incident will be put under a microscope.
Whether it’s your insurance company or the other party’s, neither wants to be responsible for a payout. That’s why they send adjusters out on a fact-finding mission to assess what happened and determine who was responsible for the accident.
Four Things You to Avoid Saying to an Insurance Adjuster
It’s the adjuster’s job to resolve a claim with as little liability to the insurance company as possible. This is why it’s vitally important to your claim that you be very careful about what you say to an adjuster and how you say it. You should never lie or omit important information, but keep in mind that everything you say to an adjuster matters.
That said, let’s discuss five important things you should avoid discussing with any insurance adjuster.
1. Never Admit Fault
When interacting with a claims adjuster, always avoid admitting fault or implying that you may have been at fault for the accident. Skilled adjusters will pick up on your use of apologetic language or things you might have said that can be construed as admitting fault. Never give the adjuster a reason to believe you were at fault for the accident because it can destroy your opportunity to secure compensation for medical bills, damage to your vehicle, and other accident-related expenses.
Even if you think you were at fault or know you were, don’t say so. Always wait to see what the official investigation determines. You may incorrectly assume you were at fault, but an investigation may reveal information that shifts liability for the accident onto the other party.
2. Never Give a Recorded Statement
An insurance adjuster may ask you to give a recorded statement, but you are under no obligation to comply with this request. You should also avoid providing a recorded statement because doing so won’t help you. The claims adjusters will only use it to look for inconsistencies in your story over time or other reasons to invalidate your claim.
Remember: There’s no harm in politely refusing to give a recorded statement.
3. Don’t Speculate about the Incident
When you do tell the claims adjuster about what happened, only stick to the facts. Talk about what you actually saw, heard, or thought – don’t mention what you think you saw, heard, or thought. You should also avoid putting yourself in the other party’s shoes, so to speak, by assuming or supposing what they saw, heard, or through.
Not only is speculation irrelevant to the facts of the accident, offering it only gives adjusters ammunition to poke holes in your story by identifying inconsistencies or falsehoods. Although people can remember traumatic events with extreme clarity, no one’s memory is perfect. If you don’t know the answer to a question, there’s no harm in saying so – speculation can only come back to bite in the future.
4. Don’t Discuss Your Injuries
The insurance adjuster will want to assess the extent of your injuries, but wait until the adrenaline dies down and you’ve been fully examined by a doctor. Asking about your injuries may seem like a routine question, but there’s no need to offer any information until you’ve seen a doctor.
Tell the adjuster that you decline to discuss your injuries and will instead disclose this information when you and your attorney draft a demand letter.
Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys for Help
At Rodriguez & Gimbert, P.L.L.C., our attorneys can provide the legal support you need when you’re trying to recover compensation after an auto accident. We help clients who have been involved in car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, including those that resulted in catastrophic injuries.
For more information about how we can help, please contact us online or call (979) 559-3599 to schedule a consultation.