13 Feb HOW TO DISCUSS YOUR ACCIDENT WITH AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER
Posted By Gruenberg Kelly Della || 13-Feb-2018
When you are involved in an auto accident, you must inform your personal auto insurance provider. If you have been in an accident with an insured driver, their insurance company will call you at some point after the accident to discuss the details of what happened. To be clear, you are legally obligated to provide all necessary information to your own insurance provider, but you are not obligated to provide as much information to the other driver’s insurance company.
What [Not] to Say During Your First Call with Another Driver’s Insurance Company
When the other driver’s insurance adjuster calls, here are a few important pointers to stick with:
- Keep a record of the adjuster’s information. When an insurance adjuster from another driver’s insurance company calls, the first thing you should do is collect the name, number, email, address, and any other important contact information regarding the individual insurance adjuster. Also be sure to ask who their insured driver is (this can be important if you’ve been involved in a multi-car pileup or accident involving several people). Be sure to keep a written record of all information regarding the adjuster and your conversation.
- Keep it as simple as possible. Don’t forget that an insurance adjuster is obligated to the company they represent and that they are likely looking for reasons to deny you compensation for the injuries or damages you sustained in your accident. It may later become important to discuss the accident in greater detail, but the location, date, time, and basic nature of the collision are all you should provide during the first phone call with an insurance adjuster. If they press you for details or ask you to make a statement, you should politely decline. Providing too much information can come back to bite you and you may accidentally end up saying something that could be used against you.
- Keep your witnesses close to the vest. Even if you have reliable witnesses, there is no need to bring them up during that first phone conversation with an adjuster. You will likely be asked about it, but you should neither confirm that there are or that there are not any viable witnesses.
- Keep your injuries to yourself. Even if you have been hurt or sustained immediate, obvious injuries during your accident, it is best not to talk about them until you and your attorney have a better idea of their extent, long-term implications, and total cost. By not mentioning them to the insurance adjuster, you are free to bring up new injuries or additional complications later on without having your own words come back to hurt you. You may say generally that you have been hurt, but without giving further detail. Do not tell the insurance adjuster what sort of treatment you are receiving, where you have been hospitalized, who your doctors are, or any other such information.
- Keep a cool head. Insurance adjusters are people, too, and asking probing questions is part of their job. While you don’t necessarily have to cave and provide whatever information they ask for, you can remain friendly, polite, and courteous throughout the process. You may be in the hospital or recovering from a painful injury when they contact you, but it is still important to treat them with kindness. If they are inclined to help you, your case and outstanding accident-related expenses may be more quickly and amicably resolved.
We Can Help You Discuss Your Accident with Insurance Companies. Call our Long Island Personal Injury Attorneys Today.
One of the best things you can do for yourself after being involved in a car accident is to get in touch with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Having trustworthy legal counsel isn’t only necessary in court—it has the potential to keep you out of court entirely. Relying on the advice of one of our Long Island personal injury attorneys can be the difference between resolving your injury claim with insurance companies and duking it out with the other driver in court.
Our team at Gruenberg Kelly Della is here to serve you in the aftermath of your car accident and ensure you are cared for, skillfully represented, and given the settlement you need to cover your injuries and losses.
Call (888) 305-6372 to speak with one of our friendly staff members, or send us an email to schedule your free initial consultation.