After a car crash, you know that you have to deal with the insurance companies involved eventually. However, a lot of legal professionals warn people away from talking to the other party’s insurance adjuster directly.
Why do they do this? Because the job of an insurance adjuster is to minimize each claim and save their company some money. There are several reasons that you shouldn’t talk to an insurance adjuster:
You can say the wrong thing
Insurance adjusters routinely tape their conversations with accident victims. The hope is that you will say something that they can use to challenge the severity of your injuries.
For example, if the insurance adjuster asks, “How are you doing?” and you offer a polite (and automatic) “Fine, thanks,” that can be used later to say that you weren’t really injured.
You get locked into a narrative
There are two things everyone should remember about car accidents: They happen fast, and your injuries may not be immediately apparent.
You may not know exactly what happened during the collision until an investigation is over. You may not realize how seriously hurt you are right away. An insurance adjuster would love to get you to say something that contradicts the reality later, to make you look unreliable.
You may be tempted by a quick settlement
Because you may not realize that you’re badly injured, you may jump at what seems like a fair and easy settlement. Spoiler alert: Any quick settlement offer should send off warning bells in your mind. No insurance company is in a hurry to pay up – unless they want you to sign a release of liability.
Getting a fair settlement after a car crash isn’t easy. That’s why it’s always wisest to put your faith in some experienced legal guidance.