If you have been in a car accident in the Orlando area, you may be struggling to get your life back on track in the aftermath. It can be incredibly difficult trying to keep up with your day-to-day obligations without a car and when potentially dealing with painful injuries. Throwing in having to deal with insurance claim adjusters and issues on top of that can simply be too much. While no one can blame you for wanting to tell them whatever they want so you can get back to normal life as soon as possible, you might end up causing yourself more long-term headaches by doing so. In general, the best thing that you can do after a car accident is contact an attorney. An attorney can make this process a whole lot easier to navigate. Namely, they can take over settlement negotiations and deal with the insurance agents. This ensures that you will not fall victim to many of the most common pitfalls that victims of car accidents face. If you would like to talk to a Orlando personal injury lawyer and get personalized feedback on your case, you can contact the experienced attorneys at HAWM Law to schedule a consultation.
Insurance Claim Adjuster Tricks
If you decide to talk to an insurance claims adjuster without representation, it is important to go into the interaction with your eyes wide open. Keep all these pointers in mind and make sure you show up ready to be the best possible advocate for yourself. Do not let trying to be nice or polite stand in the way of what is in your own best interest.
If you have been injured due to an accident that was not your fault, you do not have to shoulder the burden alone. Whether it was the result of a trucking accident or an aggravated assault, the experienced Central Florida Personal Injury Attorneys at HAWM Law are ready to help you fight to get you the compensation to which you are legally entitled. It is important not to waste any time, as Florida has statutes of limitations on how long you have to bring a personal injury claim.
We are here to help. Insurance claim adjusters may give the impression that they are like any other customer service agent who is on your side and employed to serve you. However, that is not the case. Insurance claim adjusters’ priority is limiting the amount of the claim to the greatest degree possible. This means that you have conflicting goals from the outset. Any information they seek from you is intended to limit the amount of money that you get, so be incredibly careful in answering questions.
It is urgent that you talk to us. One trick that insurance agents use to compel people to accept lower settlements than they are entitled to is by creating a sense of urgency and pressuring them to accept a settlement before they could possibly know the full value of their claim. Never accept a settlement until you have a solid idea of what medical care will be required long-term as well as the costs associated with it. You should also get your car professionally appraised to get an accurate idea of the damage. Settling too early can leave you without adequate resources to care for yourself.
Trick questions. Insurance claim adjusters will ask tricky questions to try and limit their liability. For instance, they may ask leading questions, “so you were going about 50 mph at the time of the accident?” If they know that the speed limit is 40 mph, because if they can get a confession that you were speeding it limits their own liability, even if it is not true. It is hard to argue with something you said on tape.
Recording the call. If an insurance claims adjuster asks to record the call, you might feel like it would be rude not to agree, but it is okay to decline, and always in your best interest.
Schedule a Consultation with HAWM Law
If you have been in an accident in the Orlando area, it is important to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys at HAWM Law are ready to help. Call us today to schedule a consultation.