After a car accident in NYC, if you want to claim compensation for your losses, you need to inform your insurance company about the accident. While an insurance adjuster can seem friendly and helpful, you must approach this conversation with caution. Don’t forget that an adjuster’s job is to investigate your claim and, in the process, find any weaknesses that can be exploited to reduce your payout.
As such, you need to know how to properly handle a conversation in a way that does not compromise your interests. At Alex Yadgarov & Associates, we have been the Brooklyn car accident lawyer for many clients and know how insurance adjusters work. In this post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about handling insurance adjusters after a crash.
What Does an Insurance Adjuster Do After a Car Accident?
The main role of an insurance adjuster is to investigate an accident on behalf of the insurance company. As part of the investigation, they will gather all available evidence, establish the chain of events that led to the crash, inspect the damages, review documents, and finally determine fault in the accident.
Why Do Insurance Adjusters Contact You So Quickly?
Once you’ve informed the insurance company about the accident, you can expect a call from an adjuster within 24 – 72 hours of the accident. They tend to reach out quickly because they want to gather information when your memory is fresh.
In doing so, they will try to get a recorded statement and lock you to a version of events. They will also look for subtle hints or remarks that can help them reduce your payout. Since they know you are in a vulnerable situation, they can dangle an early settlement to tempt you to accept.
What Tactics Do Insurance Adjusters Use to Reduce Claims?
As part of the “Delay, Deny, and Defend” strategy, insurance adjusters will try many subtle and not so subtle tactics to reduce your claim. As an accident lawyer in New York, here are some of the most common tactics you come across:
- Offering a quick, lowball settlement
- Fishing for recorded statements
- Intentionally dragging out the process by requesting additional documents and passing the case to new representatives.
- Scrutinizing medical records and blaming injuries on pre-existing conditions
- Monitoring your social media to find information that can contradict your claims
- Disputing liability, arguing that you are partially responsible for the accident.
What Should You Say to an Adjuster After a Car Crash?
When talking to an insurance adjuster, you must remain polite and professional. At the same time, provide the relevant basic and factual information. If you are unsure about how to answer, you can refer the more complex questions to your Queens car accident lawyer.
At the same time, you mustn’t admit fault or apologize for the accident, speculate about unknown factors, minimize your injuries, and prematurely discuss settlement amounts. As a general rule of thumb, let your attorney handle the negotiations, and only answer questions when you must, not when you want.
Should You Give a Recorded Statement to an Adjuster?
No, you generally should not give a recorded statement. When you give such a statement, you are restricted to that version of the accident. You will not be able to claim additional compensation even if your condition deteriorates. At the same time, they can use the statement to take things out of context and twist the narrative against you.
Should You Accept the First Settlement Offer?
While accepting the first settlement offer can be tempting, the offer should be taken with a grain of salt. This is because the first settlement is often far less than the actual value of your settlement. The adjuster presents this offer in the hope that you haven’t had time to fully assess the extent of your damages and consult with your attorney.
Conclusion
Dealing with insurance adjusters is an inevitable but challenging stage that needs to be overcome to successfully receive compensation for losses suffered in a car accident. While adjusters appear helpful, their ultimate loyalty lies with the insurance company, and they will do everything they can to try and reduce your payout. As such, it’s important to know the right things to say and do to protect your claim.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Brooklyn, Alex Yadgarov & Associates can help take care of all your legal matters. Contact us today and schedule your free consultation with us. Let’s work together and move forward to secure the best possible outcome for your case.
