Sustaining an injury in an accident that resulted from another person’s negligence can be stressful and dealing with insurance adjusters shouldn’t add to your problems.
Insurance firms and their adjusters are often not focused on your well-being and may attempt to give you as little compensation as possible on your personal injury claim. Understanding ways of dealing with adjusters will help you avoid issues and optimize your compensation.
If you’re experiencing difficulty handling insurance adjusters, Flora Templeton Stuart personal injury attorneys can help you deal with the adjusters so that you can get the settlement you deserve.
WHAT IS AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER?
Suppose you’ve ever suffered an injury in an accident. In that case, the chances are that the other party’s insurance company contacted you to discuss the accident and the details pertaining to your injury.
Typically, an insurance adjuster will assess any information you provide about your injury, yourself, your income, previous medical history, and the accident itself. It is the job of an adjuster to:
- Investigate the accident
- Determine whether there’s a liability in the accident
- Advise the insurance company on the appropriate compensation amount
- Negotiate and settle claims
In many cases, an adjusters’ objective throughout the claim process is to ensure that the insurance company pays the lowest compensation amount possible. Many accident victims find it challenging to deal with insurance adjusters. This guide will give you pointers on how to deal with insurance adjusters on a Kentucky personal injury claim.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE
- Prepare adequately by conducting a background study and organizing your documents
- Acknowledge that the chances are that the adjuster has limited decision-making authority
- The first offer shouldn’t insult you
- Be cautious of what the adjustor says
- Don’t expect that the adjuster to go above and beyond
- Ensure you ask the adjuster to preserve evidence
- Ask the adjuster to shed light on anything that you don’t understand
- Answer the adjuster’s calls and respond to them promptly
- Speak with a supervisor if need be
- Let your attorney handle all communication
Here is a detailed discussion of these tips:
1. PREPARE ADEQUATELY BY CONDUCTING A BACKGROUND STUDY AND ORGANIZING YOUR DOCUMENTS
Conduct a background study to understand the facts about your case and the insurance adjuster you are dealing with. Ensure that you are equipped with all the facts of the case, including how the accident happened and what makes the defendant at fault. Also, check the history of the insurance companies you’re dealing with in settling claims. Do they provide fair compensation, or do they frustrate accident victims?
Gather all documents, such as medical files, and ensure they are in order. They will come in handy in helping you prove your case. You can choose to use a computerized spreadsheet such as MS excel so that you can easily edit documents such as medical bills. You shouldn’t show the adjuster any signs of sloppiness. Every time the adjuster calls you, they take notes of your conversation—you should probably do the same.
2. ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CHANCES ARE THAT THE ADJUSTER HAS LIMITED DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY
You don’t know what goes on behind the curtains at the at-fault party’s insurance. For example, let’s say you got involved in a car accident in Kentucky and claim that the other driver was driving under the influence of alcohol. As a result, you undergo an operation to repair a pre-existing leg fracture that was aggravated due to the accident. Then, you hire a personal injury lawyer who tries to settle the claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Nonetheless, the insurance adjuster sends you a letter denying liability and offering you nothing. The chances are that the adjuster asked their client (supervisor) to give them the authority to settle the case, but it was rejected. In short, sometimes, the adjuster has limited settlement authority. Your lawyer may be forced to sue for you to get a settlement.
3. THE FIRST OFFER SHOULDN’T INSULT YOU
It’s common for insurance companies to make a low first offer in a personal injury case. Regardless of whether the offer is appealing or not, it’s just part of the negotiation process, so don’t let it get to you. It is better to spend your time building your case instead of getting angry with the adjuster because of their low offer. If your evidence is solid, you’ll get a fair settlement in the end.
4. BE CAUTIOUS OF WHAT THE ADJUSTER SAYS
No matter how much you like the adjuster who is handling your claim, take anything they tell you with a grain of salt. Remember, you are on opposite sides. While you are trying to get maximum compensation, their focus is on ensuring that the insurance company doesn’t overpay.
5. DON’T EXPECT THE ADJUSTOR TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
It is your duty to find all available insurance that could pay for your personal injury claim. Desist from expecting the adjuster to help you locate additional insurance money because, in most cases, they won’t be able to. If you don’t take the initiative to research additional insurance money, you may end up losing a lot of money.
6. ENSURE YOU ASK THE ADJUSTER TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE
The evidence you have can make or break your personal injury lawsuit. Whether it is a raised floor that caused you to slip and fall or a vehicle’s event data recorder, you want the evidence well preserved. Write a letter asking the at-fault party to preserve the evidence. You should also send a copy of that letter to the adjuster. The letter indicates that you mean business and that you are serious about your case. Ensure that you get written confirmation that the letter was received. A certified mail is one example of a written confirmation.
7. ASK THE ADJUSTER TO SHED LIGHT ON ANYTHING YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND
If the adjuster uses a phrase or says something you don’t understand, ask them to clarify it. For instance, if an adjuster tells you that they will give you more money to settle your claim, be sure to ask them what they mean by that. Don’t agree to a vague figure. Ask the adjuster to commit to an exact amount or range.
8. ANSWER THE ADJUSTER’S CALLS AND RESPOND TO THEM PROMPTLY
By answering all the calls from the adjuster handling your claim, the chances are that your claim will be processed faster. If you fail to answer their calls, you may end up playing phone tag, which may delay your settlement.
9. SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR IF NEED BE
There are times when it will be necessary that you speak with an adjuster’s supervisor to get a higher compensation amount in your case. When you get a chance to do so, ensure that you present your case in such a way that convinces them that it is in their best interest to increase your settlement amount. That said, it doesn’t mean that every time a claimant speaks with the supervisor, their settlement will be improved.
10. LET YOUR ATTORNEY HANDLE ALL COMMUNICATION
The best way to protect yourself from the insurance company is to hire our personal injury lawyers and let us handle all communication with the at-fault party and their insurance company. Rather than stepping on eggshells to ensure you don’t say anything you shouldn’t, your attorney has the knowledge and expertise to convey relevant information without hurting your case.
FLORA TEMPLETON STUART CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CASE
Suppose you or your loved one sustained an injury due to another person’s negligence. In that case, you can depend on our attorneys to help you handle insurance adjusters, and if need be, represent you in court to get the compensation you deserve.
Contact us as soon as possible, and our team of professionals will gather the requisite evidence that will strengthen your claim. Among other professionals, we partner with medical practitioners, accident sign analysts, and data retrieval experts to gather evidence for your case. If your case goes to court, we’ll use this evidence to show that the defendant was liable for your injuries. You can depend on Flora Templeton Stuart personal injury lawyers to fight for you from the start to the end of your case. Request a free evaluation today.
