Compensation for your car crash injuries is likely to come from an insurance company. However, that does not mean that the insurance company is on your side. The insurance company enters into a contract with the driver to pay up to a certain amount of damages resulting from a car crash. In exchange for this contract, the driver pays for a car insurance policy. The insurance company is not a friend or an ally. 
Understanding the Insurance Company’s Position
While the insurance company has a legal obligation to uphold its end of the contract and pay you fair damages for any injuries you suffer as a result of the insured driver’s negligence, it will likely try to pay you as little as possible. This is how the insurance company maximizes its profits. It takes in more in car insurance premiums than it pays out in car accident settlements. Accordingly, the insurance adjuster assigned to your car accident claim is going to work hard to get you to accept as little as possible in a settlement agreement.
Before You Talk to Anyone From the Insurance Company
After you understand the insurance company’s motives, it is important to know what you can do to protect yourself during settlement negotiations. Specifically, it is important to know that:
- Anything you say can be used against you. The insurance adjuster may twist your words and use them in a way that you do not mean. You may be asked innocent sounding questions, and the adjuster hopes you will say something that can be spun to minimize the extent of our injuries.
- You should not give a recorded statement without speaking with a lawyer. Before you commit to a recorded statement, it is important to speak with your attorney. You may inadvertently give a confusing or incorrect answer that could jeopardize your fair recovery.
- You should not provide medical records without speaking with a lawyer. You may not need to provide all of your medical records to the insurance company. Remember, the insurance company is looking for reasons to minimize or deny your claim. While the insurance company needs some of your medical records in order to provide you with a fair recovery, it is important that they get the right ones.
- You should be very cautious about accepting an early settlement offer. Some insurance adjusters may try to get you to accept a lower settlement by offering you a quick settlement. This settlement may come before you have spoken with a lawyer and before your doctors know the full extent of your injuries. Once you agree to a settlement, it is binding, and you will not receive additional compensation for your accident injuries.
- You do not have to speak directly with the insurance adjuster if you are represented by an attorney. Instead, your lawyer can do this for you and remove the burden from your shoulders.
Don’t Let a Mistake Interfere With Your Fair Recovery
Your goal is not to take advantage of the insurance company; rather, it is to recover the fair damages to which you are entitled by law. These damages may include compensation for the fair value of your past, current, and future healthcare costs, lost income, out-of-pocket expenses, physical pain, and emotional suffering.
In order to make this kind of recovery from an insurance company, you must prove not only that the insured was liable for your accident injuries but also the fair value of your damages. This will require evidence and skilled arguments.
An experienced car accident lawyer can analyze the evidence, gather further evidence through legal procedures such as depositions, interrogatories, and requests for documents, and negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company.
Do not try to handle the insurance company on your own. The risk of harming your own case and your recovery is simply too great. Instead, schedule a free no-obligation consultation with us and let us handle your claim for you. You will not pay us anything unless your claim is successful and you recover damages either in an insurance settlement or in court. Call us or contact us via this website today to learn more.
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