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Insurance adjusters investigate all insurance claims. Their responsibility is to verify all the information provided to the insurance company and determine if your claim has merit. On the surface, they may seem friendly and helpful, but their job is to protect the insurer’s financial interests, and sometimes this means finding a way to pay you as little as possible. Before answering a call from an adjuster, it’s essential to talk to a car accident lawyer in Wyoming.
Ask a Car Accident Lawyer in Wyoming: What Should I Do When Insurance Adjusters Call Me?
When dealing with insurance adjusters, the most important advice is to offer little to no information and ask them to contact your lawyer. Remain polite, but don’t provide any details. To prevent insurance fraud, It’s also recommended that you ask for the adjuster’s name and position.
Do Not Answer Adjusters Before You’ve Healed.
If an insurance adjuster calls you before you’ve healed from injuries sustained during the accident, refuse to take their call. Symptoms from internal injuries may not present themselves until after a few days. Contacting you at this stage is probably a tactic to avoid paying for your entire medical treatment.
Set Limits on The Call, And Ask Not to be Called Again
Even if you are dismissive, the adjuster may keep asking questions, hoping that you’ll answer one of them. Politely decline to continue the conversation and clearly tell them that you will not be taking more calls if your lawyer is not present. Usually, this statement helps stop the calls.
Never Agree to Be Recorded
Recorded conversations are admissible in court and may be used against you. Sometimes, adjusters will ask you to allow them to record your exchange to expedite the process or for quality assurance reasons. Regardless of what they tell you, refuse to be recorded, and ask them to contact your attorney.
Do Not Disclose Medical Information
Disclosing information about your health status is not recommended. Following the legal procedure, adjusters will be able to interview the medical professionals who assisted you, and they will be better at explaining your current condition. Even simple phrases such as “I’m feeling better” can be used to deny your claim or to offer a lower settlement.
Do Not Disclose Details About The Accident
An adjuster may ask you to speak about your recollection of the accident. Part of the adjuster’s job is to research how the accident happened, how severe it was, and who was at fault. To do so, they have access to the accident’s reports, and they’ll interview witnesses. It’s not your job to provide information that could be used against you.
Never Say Anything That May Sound as an Admission of Guilt
Adjusters will try to prolong a conversation to get you to admit partial or total guilt for the accident. This may happen when you say specific things such as:
- Talk about driving while very tired
- Talk about working a long shift or otherwise losing sleep before the accident
- Talk about being worried or anxious
- Talk about having felt physically unwell
- Talk about being distracted while driving
Sometimes, you won’t even notice when you said something that can be considered a partial or total admission of guilt. This is one of the most important reasons to avoid talking to adjusters without your attorney present.
Never Discuss a Settlement Offer
An insurance adjuster may try to convince you to take a settlement offer over a phone call. They can tell you that this will expedite things and that you can get your money sooner. Accepting an offer without the presence of your lawyer is a huge mistake. Offering you a settlement fast without giving you the chance to review it thoroughly is a tactic to pay less.
Your first settlement offer (which should always be presented in writing) is usually the starting point of a negotiation that adjusters want to avoid.
Talk to an Attorney
If adjusters are already calling you, it’s time to find a good car accident lawyer in Wyoming. Some people avoid hiring attorneys because they believe it will be costly. Most attorneys will only make money if you are offered a reasonable settlement or win your case in court. Most of them won’t demand upfront payment other than filing fees and additional associated costs.
Trying to save money by representing yourself can be a huge mistake. Insurance adjusters are not easy to handle, and you need professional advice to deal with them (or your claim may be denied).
Insurance adjusters are only doing their job when they call you, so remain calm and polite. If you decide to say something, limit it to general information, such as your name, address, and lawyer’s contact details. Once you’ve found a lawyer you trust, follow their advice and immediately let them know about any interactions with insurance companies.
