Car accidents are an unfortunate and uncomfortable reality in the world we live in today. You could, one day, be injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault. Your medical bills will start piling up, your job security might be in question due to your injury, and you have to deal with the insurance adjuster to try to get the money you deserve.
Many times, insurance adjusters will vow to get you all the money you need and to get it as quickly as possible. They can make a plethora of promises that they don’t intend to keep. This happens more often than you think.
Hopefully, you will never have to go through this—but if you do, it’s important that you be aware of a few of the common tricks that insurance adjusters will try and pull to decrease your car accident injury claim.
Workers’ comp adjuster tricks
Twisting or Misusing the Words of Injury Victims
After a car accident, your words matter. It’s extremely important that you know what to say and what not to say so that you don’t hurt your claim. Equally important is what you say and don’t say to the insurance adjuster handling your claim.
Avoid friendly conversations with your adjuster. Sadly, adjusters sometimes use these friendly conversations against the injured victim. For example, maybe you’re having a conversation with your adjuster and you mention a previous injury or speculate on the causes of the accident. Words like these can be twisted by insurance adjusters to wrongfully say that you were at fault in the accident, or that your injuries are just flare-ups from an injury prior to the accident.
Don’t be worried about coming across as cold or impolite. It’s better that you sound this way and get the money you deserve, rather than be friendly and lose your claim.
Pressuring or Pushing Injury Victims To Settle Quickly
Sometimes, insurance adjusters will try and get injury victims to settle quickly before their injuries fully reveal themselves. This effectively eliminates the insurance company’s risk at your expense. You may be suffering from delayed onset injuries and not know the full extent of those injuries for some time.
Be wary of quick settlements and don’t rush to take the first one you’re offered. Get medically examined and make sure that the extent of your medical bills will be financially covered by your claim.
Ignoring or Stalling Victims
Another common trick that insurance adjusters will pull after a car accident is failing to acknowledge or respond to an injured victim. This silence can be for several different reasons. The adjuster may have too many claimants and too many files—many insurance adjusters are overworked. They may have switched jobs and are no longer assigned to your claim. While there are plenty of plausible reasons for an adjuster not responding to your calls, they may be simply ignoring them or delaying your claim.
This is why it’s vital that you have professional car accident attorneys on your side. Having an attorney ensures that you will get the claim you deserve, in the proper amount, and as quickly as possible.
At Wettermark Keith, we’ve been tirelessly fighting for our clients and their claims for nearly 20 years. We know every insurance adjuster trick in the book. Call us today for a free case consultation and let us help you get the claim you deserve.
