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Anytime somebody is involved in an accident, this will lead to an incredible amount of stress in their life. One of the most stressful aspects of the aftermath of an accident is dealing with insurance carriers. If you or somebody you love has been injured due to the negligence of another person, you need to know that the insurance adjusters who will be calling you are not your friend. While they may seem very compassionate, their job is to reduce the total amount of money they pay you in a settlement. It is important to know how to deal with insurance adjusters after you have sustained an injury.
The single most important thing for you to understand before the insurance adjuster calls you is that they do not work for you. They are not your friend, regardless of how friendly or compassionate they seem. Please understand that the insurance adjuster for the at-fault party is loyal to their employer and their goal is to ensure that they pay as little as possible for your claim.
You can be sure that the insurance carrier for the at-fault party will present an early settlement offer that may seem enticing. This is especially true if the insurance carrier thinks at the evidence of the case works against them. While it may be tempting to take this early settlement offer, you need to know that most initial settlement offers are far below what you should actually be receiving for your claim. Now is the time to negotiate for much more.
An insurance claims adjuster may tell you that you have to give a recorded statement or sign over your medical records in order for your claim to be processed. This is certainly not the truth, and you should not agree to give any recorded statements. Insurance claims adjusters want recorded statements so that they can use them against you in your claim. They are trained to ask questions that might trip you up and make you say contradictory statements about how your injuries occurred or the severity of your injuries.
Insurance claims adjusters will often try to make you believe that you have to submit your claim as soon as possible. However, the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in California is two years from the date the injury occurs. While it may not take two years for you to make a decision about whether or not to file my personal injury lawsuit, you certainly do not after move quickly and accept a settlement offer that does not cover your total costs.
You can be sure that the last thing an insurance adjuster wants you to do is to speak to an attorney. However, a personal injury attorney will have extensive legal knowledge and resources available to thoroughly investigate your claim.
If you have any questions about your rights after somebody else causes you harm, contact the team and DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo. Our Orange County personal injury attorneys will ensure that you are treated fairly when aggressive insurance carriers get involved. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or by calling (714) 783-2205.