In a perfect scenario, an insurance company would simply pay the victim what they are owed after a major accident. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters frequently refuse claims unfairly and have been found to employ manipulative tactics to avoid liability.
If you’ve been injured in an automobile accident, the first step is to file a claim with your insurance company, then, contact an attorney before accepting any offer your insurance may provide you. Most clients, are unaware that there are additional factors to consider when interacting with insurance adjusters, such as what the insurance adjuster may or may not tell you about your rights and options after reporting a Florida collision.
3 Things Insurance Companies Won’t Tell You
1) You Do Not Have to Provide a Recorded Statement
Many insurance adjusters will tell victims that they must give a recorded statement to be compensated for their injuries, but this is not true. Recorded statements can jeopardize your case by forcing you to say something detrimental to your interests on tape. You should also not provide a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company.
2) They Want to Pay as Little as Possible
Insurance adjusters will typically claim that they are offering you a reasonable settlement, but what they mean is reasonable from the insurance company’s perspective. Regardless of how serious your injuries are or how much your case is worth, their goal is to pay the smallest amount possible rather than give accident victims the full compensation they deserve.
Furthermore, insurance adjusters may claim that the available coverage is limited or significantly less than what is available. A personal injury lawyer can assist the plaintiff in determining the policy limits and providing advice on how to obtain the full amount of compensation.
3) Do Not Admit Fault or Sign Documents Until You’ve Spoken to an Attorney
After an accident, you should never admit fault or sign any documents until you have spoken to an experienced attorney. According to Florida’s no-fault laws, each driver’s insurance company must pay personal injury protection (PIP) coverage of up to $10,000 for injuries sustained in an accident.
However, if your medical bills exceed this amount, you may need to seek additional compensation from the other party’s insurance; but if you have admitted fault, you will be unable to do so. Furthermore, the insurance adjuster may press you to sign a liability release or release of all claims form but doing so effectively closes the case. You may not be able to reopen the case should any future damage or injuries arise that were not immediately known after the accident. Even if you must sign a release form before receiving payment, only do so after an experienced attorney has reviewed it and confirmed you’ve received the best offer.
We can help you make the best decisions
The personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Leonard J. Valdes have helped accident victims who have been manipulated by insurance adjusters in the past. The sooner you seek our help in pursuing your claim, the more likely it is that we will be able to lead you to victory and the compensation you deserve. Please contact us right away for a free consultation.