Why Talking to the Other Party’s Insurance Company Hurts Your Claim
After getting in a car crash, being taken to the hospital following a slip and fall, or suffering an injury from some other type of incident, it can be tempting to just put the whole thing behind you as fast as possible and move on with your life by either “forgiving” the other party who caused the incident, or by accepting an offer from them directly, or their insurance company. The problem with just “letting the incident slide” and forgiving the negligent party is that you are then left with a very big unknown bill that will come months down the road. Medical expenses and pain and suffering alone, not to mention lost wages and potential disability, are much higher than you may imagine. After all, only four percent of Americans can identify “all four terms that determine how much they would personally have to pay for medical services and drugs they receive under their health insurance plans,” according to CNBC. And, the problem with accepting an early settlement offer, or talking to the other party or their insurance company, is that you will no doubt be swindled out of fair compensation. You can only secure fair compensation for your damages by working with an experienced Ocala personal injury lawyer.
Do Not Make These Mistakes
Following a traumatic injury, it can be confusing keeping track of doctors, your auto insurance adjuster, physical therapists, police investigators, the district attorney’s office, your health insurance provider, and all of the other parties involved in a typical personal injury incident. As such, you may end up talking to the other party’s insurance adjuster mistakenly, not fully realizing who you are speaking to. If you find yourself in this situation, it is best to hang up and notify your attorney. Whatever you do, do not make the following mistakes:
- Say you are feeling fine or good, even though that is the automatic response that we are expected to give in our society when someone asks how you are doing;
- Accept any blame for causing the incident;
- Say you are sorry for being at fault, contributing in some way to the incident, or sorry for anything else;
- Give a detailed description of what happened;
- Guess or speculate about what happened; or
- Provide additional information beyond what the adjuster specifically asks for.
An Ocala Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Anything and everything you say to an insurance adjuster of the other party will be used against you to reduce the value of your claim. The cost of driver’s insurance has risen recently as a result of an increase in collisions and the severity of collisions, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Insurance adjusters are more vigilant now than ever to reduce your claim’s value by tricking you into saying something you do not mean. This can easily be avoided by working with an attorney, who will handle all communication with insurance companies and the other party. Call the Glover Law Firm today at 352-484-0775 to schedule a free consultation with an Ocala personal injury attorney.
Are you being denied benefits or compensated far less? Contact a Florida insurance dispute lawyer near you.
Resources:
cnbc.com/2016/11/04/many-americans-dont-know-much-about-health-insurance–and-it-will-cost-them.html
iii.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/auto_rates_wp_092716-62.pdf
https://www.gloverlawfirm.com/negligent-security-bar-nightclub-injury/
