Automobile Accident Claims Adjusters

After you’ve been injured in an auto accident, a personal injury auto accident claims adjuster will usually contact you. The adjuster may be from your insurance company or from the other driver’s insurance company. It is important to know about auto accident claims adjusters because what you say to them may affect your ability to be compensated for your injuries.

Auto accident claims adjusters are skilled negotiators who specialize in saving their insurance company money. An auto accident adjuster will usually be extremely friendly and act like they are on your side. However, you must remember that an adjuster’s primary goal is to save the insurance company money.

In order to save their company money, a claims adjuster wants to learn a couple of things about the accident. First, the claims adjuster wants to know as much as possible about how the accident happened. This allows them to assess which driver was at fault. Usually, if their insured did not cause the accident, the adjuster may not pay the personal injury claim.

Second, the claims adjuster wants to know about your injuries. If you were injured in a traffic accident, the adjuster wants to settle your injury claim as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Before they make an offer, they will ask you to make a recorded statement. One purpose of a recorded statement is to try to trick you into downplaying your injuries immediately after the wreck. It is almost never a good idea to give an adjuster a recorded statement because you will not know the full extent of your injuries immediately after the wreck, and you may not realize that the adjuster is trying to trick you. You should politely decline a request for a recorded statement.

Auto accident claims adjusters know that after an accident you will feel vulnerable and possibly have expensive medical bills to pay. So, they will usually offer you a small amount of money to settle your case immediately after the car wreck. Never accept an adjuster’s first offer because the adjuster almost always has more money available to settle the case. Also, always talk with a personal injury car accident attorney about your injuries before you accept an adjuster’s offer. Most auto accident attorneys will give you a free consultation, so you have nothing to lose by speaking with a personal injury attorney. Further, a personal injury car accident attorney will know if hiring an attorney is likely to increase the insurance company’s settlement offer, and an attorney will know if you should file a lawsuit.

If you don’t settle your injury claim soon after the accident, the accident claims adjuster may begin to ignore you. Insurance companies earn interest on their reserve money. So, although they want you to settle your claim quickly, adjusters may begin to delay if they do not think that will happen. Additionally, the statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia is usually two years. If the statute of limitations is approaching, the adjuster may ignore you altogether to see if you will miss the deadline. If you miss the deadline, you will lose your chance to be compensated for your injuries.

Insurance adjusters are skilled negotiators. They know how to push your buttons and get you to accept a lower amount than your case is worth. That is their job. This is one reason why it is usually a good idea to hire a car accident attorney, and let the attorney do the negotiating for you. An accident attorney knows the games auto accident insurance adjusters play, and knows whether an adjuster’s settlement offer is fair.

Free Consultation with an Augusta, Georgia Car Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in a car wreck, choose an Augusta, Georgia personal injury car accident attorney who focuses on personal injury cases.  Contact our Augusta, Georgia law firm today for your free legal consultation with a car accident attorney.