There’s a lot to get caught up in after a car accident. You have to report it to the police, file a claim, call your insurance, assess damage, and make sure you aren’t injured. The process can quickly become overwhelming when you’re trying to get compensated for your losses by another driver’s insurance. That company won’t be thrilled to pay your bills, and they’ll do anything they can to get out of it, including sending a claims adjuster to weaken your case. These are five things you should always avoid saying to an adjuster to increase your chances of receiving compensation.
Guilt
Even if you think you might be partially at fault for the accident, never say so to an adjuster. Admitting guilt is something they can use against you. In some states, negligence laws allow you to be barred from any compensation (from the other person’s insurance) if you were more than 50% at fault or even only slightly at fault.
Opinions
Your opinions on what happened are irrelevant in this situation. Heated emotions can make you more likely to share information that makes you vulnerable to their investigation. Stick to what you saw and know happened.
Speculation
Only give the adjuster the facts. If you aren’t sure what transpired, don’t mention anything at all. Doing so can lead to uncertain phrases that can make you look like you weren’t paying attention. An insurance company can use that as proof that you were partially negligent.
Injuries
An adjuster doesn’t need to know the extent of your injuries. It’s important to keep this information to yourself because new injuries could arise in the future that are related to the crash. If you tell an adjuster all about your current injuries, you could be excluding those future injuries from your claim.
Accepting a Settlement
It’s possible that an insurance adjuster will attempt to offer you a settlement sooner than you’d expect. This is intentional, as they’re playing off the fact that you haven’t had proper time to assess all damages and that you may be pressed for money. You should never accept this offer since it is likely a lot lower than what you are actually owed, and it will not cover all of your costs.
You can speak to an attorney, like a car accident attorney in Scottsdale, AZ from Yearin Law Office, about talking to a claims adjuster beforehand. They can tell you what is appropriate to say and what you should keep to yourself.