What You Should and Should Not Say to an Insurance Adjuster in Florida
Saying the wrong thing to an insurance adjuster could compromise your recovery after a car accident, something our lawyers can help prevent when we handle your case.
If an adjuster from the negligent driver’s insurance carrier contacts you after an accident, you should not admit fault or negligence, downplay your injuries or give many details, make guesses about what happened, make estimations about property damage, or agree to give a recorded statement. Instead, you should politely decline to speak with the adjuster and let our attorneys handle all future correspondence as your claim is processed.
Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. today at (305) 204-5369 for help with your case from our Miami car accident lawyers.
What Not to Say to an Insurance Adjuster in Florida
There are certain things you should avoid saying to an insurance adjuster to avoid jeopardizing your claim after an accident in Florida, all of which our lawyers can explain so that you don’t misspeak.
Don’t Admit Fault
Victims should never admit fault in any way when speaking with insurance adjusters after accidents. Apologizing, giving too many details, or questioning your involvement during conversations could complicate fault in your case and make it easier for an insurance adjuster to underpay or deny your claim.
Insurance adjusters might try to ask leading questions to get victims to admit fault, so avoiding conversation altogether is a good idea.
Don’t Say You Are Uninjured
If an insurance adjuster asks you about your injuries after an accident, do not downplay them. Don’t say you are uninjured or that you are only slightly injured, and do not provide detailed information about your injuries over the phone, either.
You may not appreciate the full severity and cost of an injury immediately after a collision, so avoid describing or discussing your injuries with an insurance adjuster prematurely.
Don’t Mention a Pre-Existing Injury
You should not discuss any pre-existing injuries or medical conditions with an insurance adjuster that could complicate your case and potentially affect its value.
Insurance companies can also find out about pre-existing injuries when victims sign a blanket medical release, which you always should refuse to sign if prompted.
Don’t Make Guesses or Estimates
You should not make any guesses or estimations when speaking with an insurance adjuster after a car accident. Don’t guess at what could have happened, and don’t estimate the cost of property damage, medical expenses, or lost wages. It can take weeks or months to know the full cost of an accident, and you won’t know all of your damages within a few days when an insurance adjuster calls you.
Don’t Agree to Give a Recorded Statement
If the negligent driver’s insurance adjuster calls you after an accident, they will most likely ask you to agree to give a recorded statement about the accident. You should always decline this request and refuse to give any recorded statements. You do not have to interact with a negligent driver’s insurance company, and can refuse any attempts to contact you directly.
Don’t Say Yes to a Settlement Too Quickly
Avoid saying yes to a settlement offer from an insurance adjuster too prematurely. Instead, let our Florida car accident lawyers calculate the value of your case and assert it while your claim is being processed. While typically only signed settlement releases are enforced, you should not even verbally agree to a settlement that our attorneys have not reviewed and confirmed as fair.
What Should You Say to an Insurance Adjuster in Florida?
Instead of misspeaking and saying the wrong things to an insurance adjuster after an accident in Florida, learn about the different things you should say if a negligent driver’s insurance company contacts you in the days following a collision.
You can confirm general information about the accident, such as the date, location, and time. You can also confirm general personal information about yourself, such as your name and contact details. You can also direct the insurance adjuster to our attorneys for all future correspondence regarding your claim.
Beyond that, limit what you say to an insurance adjuster after an accident.
How Can a Lawyer Help You with an Insurance Adjuster After an Accident in Florida?
Don’t try to deal with an insurance adjuster by yourself after an accident, and get the support and guidance you need from our lawyers in Florida.
Providing Medical Records
Our attorneys can make sure that an insurance adjuster receives only the specific medical records related to your injuries, and not previous medical records regarding pre-existing injuries or conditions.
Calculating Your Claim’s Value
We can also calculate the true value of your case by factoring in all damages, economic and non-economic. Victims often underestimate their losses from motor vehicle accidents, especially their non-economic losses. You can rely on us to determine what your case is worth so that you know when a settlement is or isn’t fair.
Identifying Lowball Settlements
Without our lawyers’ help, accident victims are at risk of signing bad settlement releases while thinking that they are worth accepting. Not only can we identify lowball settlements, but we can also employ negotiation tactics to increase settlement offers and make them worth accepting.
Intercepting Phone Calls
When you refer an insurance adjuster to our attorneys, we can handle all future phone calls and other communications so that you do not have to, eliminating much of the stress related to dealing with insurance companies and adjusters after accidents. Not dealing with the insurance adjuster directly can stop you from unintentionally misspeaking.
Reminding You What Not to Say
Our lawyers can remind car accident victims what not to say if contacted by an insurance adjuster so that they don’t accidentally jeopardize their claims.
Reach Out to Our Lawyers After Your Florida Car Accident
For a free case assessment from Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A, call our Florida car accident lawyers at (305) 204-5369.
