After being injured in a Tampa car accident, you can expect to be contacted by an adjuster from the other driver’s insurance company. The fact that the other driver’s insurance adjuster wants to speak with you doesn’t mean that liability won’t be contested. Even if the opposing insurer admits that its insured person was at fault, that doesn’t mean that it won’t strenuously contest your damages.
What is an Adjuster?
When claims arise, adjusters investigate them, and they work at settling them. It’s the objective of an adjuster to devalue a legitimate claim and settle or dispose of it as quickly and inexpensively as possible. Doing so contributes to keeping the adjuster’s employer profitable. In turn, that keeps shareholders happy. Don’t believe that an adjuster is calling you “just to see how you’re doing.”
What’s the Real Reason for the Call?
Knowing the other driver’s insurance adjuster’s job, you now know why he or she wants to speak with you. That adjuster wants to take control of your case by having you make statements or admissions that operate against your own interests. Those statements or admissions will then be used against you in the future. Here are some common strategies that insurance adjusters employ to get claimants to devalue their own cases:
- Acting Like a Nice Guy: That adjuster might act like a good guy in a white hat who is your friend. That’s for purposes of getting you to relax and feel comfortable talking about your accident and injuries. Your words will then be twisted, distorted and used against you.
- Getting a Recorded Statement: Adjusters commonly ask for accident victims to provide a recorded statement “just for purposes of confirming that our insured person was at fault.” The adjuster already knows that the insured person was at fault. He or she already has a statement from their insured person and a copy of the detailed police report. Never give an opposing insurance adjuster any type of a written or oral statement. Florida law doesn’t require you to give one, and it’s the intent of that adjuster to use your own words against you in the future. Your credibility will be attacked, and it might even be implied that you’re malingering. Rather than taking the risk of hurting your case, arrange for a free confidential consultation and case review with a Tampa car accident lawyer from our offices.
- Getting a Medical Authorization: You can also expect to receive a medical authorization to sign and return. Don’t sign it, and don’t return it. Just keep it in your file. The adjuster is looking for a prior injury to the same part of your body that your symptoms can be blamed on, even if the injury occurred 15 years ago.
- You Don’t Need an Attorney: Many adjusters tell personal injury claimants that they “don’t need an attorney for this.” Technically, you don’t, but you don’t know what you’re doing either. Selecting the right attorney to represent you can drastically increase any sums that you might receive in a settlement or award. Without a quality personal injury attorney working for you, neither you nor your claim will be given any respect. Your phone calls and emails will be ignored until you’re frustrated and exhausted, and you agree to a cheap settlement.
Here’s what your strategy should be. You were the innocent and injured victim of the carelessness and negligence of somebody else. Rather than giving control of your case to the other driver’s insurance company, give a Tampa car accident lawyer from Hancock Injury Attorneys control of your claim on your behalf. Get that adjuster’s name, phone number and your claim number, and contact us right away for your free confidential consultation and case review. Our objective is to obtain the maximum settlement or award that you deserve.