If you were recently involved in a car accident in Texas, you will likely be filing an insurance claim to obtain compensation for your losses. When you file an auto insurance claim in Texas, this means you will need to deal with an insurance adjuster.
Even if you have been a customer of your auto insurance company for years or even decades, it is essential to keep in mind that the insurance company is not on your side in this car accident case. The adjuster works for the insurance company, and the insurer’s goal is to pay as little as possible in your motor vehicle collision claim. As such, anything you say to the adjuster can be used against you.
What do you need to know about dealing with an insurance adjuster after an accident? Below are nine tips for dealing with an insurance adjuster in Texas. If you have additional questions or need assistance with an auto insurance claim, an experienced car accident lawyer can help.
When you first get in touch with the auto insurance company to report the accident, you will likely learn that an insurance adjuster will be assigned to your case and will assess the damage from the crash. Do not make the mistake of thinking that the insurance adjuster is on your side. As we mentioned above, insurance adjusters work for the insurance company—they are not advocates for you.
When you enter into the insurance claims process understanding that the insurance adjuster is not on your side, you are less likely to offer information or to accept statements from the insurance adjuster that could result in you receiving a lower settlement than you deserve.
Just because the adjuster says that they are going to accept liability doesn’t mean that they are going to pay you fairly.
When you gather evidence at the scene of the accident, such asphotographs of physical damage as well as witness statements, the insurance adjuster is less likely to present a scenario of the crash that contradicts the evidence you have in your possession.
Like we mentioned above, the insurance adjuster is not your advocate and is not on your side. As such, you need to be very careful about what you say to the insurance adjuster when you are communicating about your claim. While there are certain questions that you will need to answer, you should be sure to stick to the facts of the case.
For example, the insurance adjuster might ask questions like, “how do you think this damage occurred?” or “how did the accident happen?”—do not respond until you have had a chance to speak with your lawyer. Do not offer your opinion about how the accident occurred, and do not offer any other subjective information. Any subjective information that needs to come out in the case can be handled by your personal injury lawyer.
It is also important to remember that you are not a medical expert and, thus, you should not give medical opinions. If you have had treatment, then the adjuster can look at the medical records to see what your injuries are.
Just as you should stick to the facts—and avoid offering your opinion—when speaking with an insurance adjuster, you should also avoid making a recorded statement until you have discussed your case with a Texas car accident attorney. Insurance companies often try to get claimants to admit to certain facts or to offer opinions that can hurt their claim. If you make a recorded statement that undermines your case, it can be very difficult to obtain the compensation you deserve.
We already mentioned that you should stick to the facts of your case and that you should decline making a recorded statement until you have spoken with an experienced personal injury lawyer. In addition, you should not offer up any information to the adjuster without being asked.
At the same time, if you are viewing your damaged vehicle with the adjuster, you might be inclined to make small talk. Avoid any discussions outside the objective facts of the case.
The insurance adjuster wants to keep costs down for the insurance company and is trained in negotiation. As such, you should be aware that any initial comments made by the adjuster about the likely value of your claim could simply be negotiating tactics that are designed to encourage you to accept a low-ball settlement offer.
Insurance adjusters want to keep costs down, as we mentioned. As such, you should treat an initial offer as only the first of multiple offers in the negotiations process. When the insurance adjuster makes an initial offer, she or he is betting that you will come back with a counteroffer, and that the insurer will pay much more than the initial offer. If you accept an initial offer, you are likely taking less than you could have received.
Knowing what your claim is worth can help to ensure that you do not accept a low-ball settlement offer. A Texas personal injury attorney can work with experts to properly value your claim.
You should always have an experienced Texas auto accident attorney on your side when you are dealing with an insurance adjuster. Your lawyer will advocate for you and your right to compensation, and can negotiate with the insurance adjuster relying years of experience about the insurance claims process.
Were you injured in a serious car crash caused by a negligent driver? Have you filed an insurance claim to seek compensation for your losses? An aggressive Texas car accident attorney can work with you on your case today.
We have years of experience handling car accident claims negotiations, and we can work to ensure that you get a fair settlement. Contact Sutliff & Stout to learn more about our experience handling car accident claims for Texas residents.
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