A car accident can cost tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills in the blink of an eye. Those are surprise costs that few people are ready for, but you may not have to face them on your own.
A disabling injury from a car wreck will cost an average of almost $94,000. Even the possibility of an injury will cost over $20,000. Diagnosis, operations and treatments will have the bills piling up, and you may also lose out on money from time away from work. The insurance company may be on the hook for a bit of help, but their adjusters might be more interested in saving their bottom line than seeing you get better.
Setting the record
Speaking with the insurance adjuster could be a risky proposition. Companies train them to get you to slip up and open the door for a reduced payment:
- Basic facts: The insurance company will take everything you say very seriously and make a record of all of it. Anything that can be misconstrued or turns out to be not entirely true could work against you in the future.
- Say it once: An adjuster might look to discredit you by asking the same questions several times while phrasing it differently or asking leading questions. They do this to catch you off guard, so you contradict yourself, thereby calling your answers into question.
- Medical attention: You may need to hand over records to the insurer, but only give them what you must. Even if they only need files directly pertaining to the accident, they may request a few years into the past. Not only do they not likely need this information, but they might use it against you by arguing pre-existing injuries and conditions that could affect your compensation.
An experienced personal injury can conduct business with the insurer on your behalf, so you don’t have to worry about any missteps. This comes in handy when the insurance is bending the rules to limit your benefits. Relying on someone that has been through the process before can help you get the compensation you deserve.
