After an accident, you have a lot to worry about: safety, medical treatment, and getting your car repaired are just some of the things you’ll be dealing with in the days after the accident. For many people, one of their first calls is to their insurance company.
It is important to remember that the insurance company is worried about minimizing their expenses: if they can avoid paying for a car or medical treatments, they will, so many insurance adjusters will try to dig information out of you that gets them off the hook. It’s important to be honest with your insurance company, but to avoid guessing, assigning blame, or giving them any excuse to reject your claim.
With this in mind, here are a few tips for speaking with your insurance company.
When it comes to accidents, it is important to remember that you should never admit fault. Even if you believe that the accident was your fault, it is best to keep your opinion and emotions out of the conversation entirely. This means that when you are asked to describe the accident to your insurance representative, you should only provide facts and not make any assumptions about who was at fault. It is also important to remember that anything you say will likely be used by the insurance company, when evaluating your claim or in court, and their goal is to reduce your compensation as much as possible.
It is also important to note that you may not know every aspect of the situation that occurred during the accident. You may assume that you were at fault for the accident, but this may not be the case at all – the other driver might have been speeding, under the influence, or running a light that you couldn’t see from your perspective. Therefore, it is best to remain calm and collected and only provide factual information when asked about an accident.
It is important to never claim that you do not have any injuries after an auto accident, even if you feel fine at the time. This is because some injuries caused by an auto accident may not show up for months after the accident occurs. Very often, injuries from an accident are apparent right at the scene, but other times, they can take a few days or weeks to show up. Take, for example, soft tissue injuries, internal bleeding, or a back or neck injury. These may or may not be apparent at the scene of the accident, and it may take a few days or longer to feel pain from these injuries. You’re also coasting on a lot of adrenaline after an accident, and, when this wears off, you’re much more likely to feel these hidden injuries.
If you have already claimed that you do not have any injuries, this statement can be used against you in court. The insurance company may try to argue that the injuries were suffered later, or that they are not real at all, since you originally stated that you were uninjured.
It is best to always err on the side of caution after an auto accident. Even if you feel fine at the time of the accident, there could still be underlying issues that are yet to manifest themselves. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after an auto accident so that any potential injuries can be identified and treated quickly and effectively. Doing so will also help protect your legal rights should any issues arise in relation to your medical bills and compensation.
It is important to remember that if you are making an official statement regarding a personal injury case, it is best to consult with a personal injury attorney first. Many people will speculate as to fault, or the cause of the accident, and these statements can have a negative impact on your ability to recover damages. Insurance companies may also use your words against you in order to reduce the amount of money they have to pay out. Therefore, it is best not to give any recorded official statements until after consulting with an attorney.
Furthermore, insurance claims representatives may try to convince you that giving an official statement is necessary or even required by law. This is simply not true and there is no obligation for you to do so. If someone does ask for an official statement, politely decline and refer them to your attorney instead.
The bottom line is this: In South Carolina, you are required to notify the police if there are injuries or death, though it is a good idea to call the police for any accident. You are also required to notify the DMV if the police did not investigate. There is no requirement to give an official statement to your insurance company, though you will need to file a claim if you want compensation. And before you file a claim or take the insurance company’s offer, you should discuss the matter with an attorney.
If you have been involved in an accident and don’t have an attorney, consider consulting with an attorney as soon as possible. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation that you deserve for the damages that you have sustained. They will fight for your rights and know exactly how the insurance companies work. Plus, they are paid out of the compensation that they are able to recover for you, so if you do not recover anything, you won’t get a surprise legal bill.
A personal injury attorney has knowledge of things that you may not be aware of when it comes to different ways that you are eligible for compensation: Tthey can guide you on the types of compensation available, applicable time limits for filing claims, and what they think the likely outcomes are for your case. With their expertise on your side, you can rest assured knowing that your rights are being protected and all avenues of recovery are being explored.
Insurance adjusters represent the insurance company, not you. Their job is to deliver the lowest possible accident compensation.
After a crash, notify your auto insurance carrier, be honest and disclose facts, but don’t speculate on the cause. Insurance companies may try to lowball you, deceive you into admitting blame, and minimize your damages. It is important to prepare for this by discussing your case with a lawyer before giving a statement to the insurance adjusters.
Before making any official statements, or deciding on an insurance company’s offer, consult a lawyer about your injuries, damages to your car, and the circumstances of your accident. Here at Proffitt & Cox, we’ve been helping drivers in the Midlands area get back on the road for over two decades. We offer a free consultation in injury cases and would be glad to sit down with you and talk about your case before you talk to the insurance companies. Contact us today.
If you suffered an injury from a serious auto accident, you may be facing significant medical bills. You may also be struggling to pay for your expenses because of an inability to work while you recover from your injuries. However, help is available to those who suffered injuries due to the negligence of others as well as for the families of fatal accident victims.
For years, our Columbia injury lawyers have worked on behalf of the people of South Carolina to gain them compensation for their motor vehicle accident injuries. We may be able to provide personal and effective legal support for you as well. Call the attorneys at Proffitt & Cox, LLP today at 803-834-7097 for a free consultation. You can also call the firm toll free at (877) 276-0533 or by filling out the contact form on our site.
We offer free initial consultations for all injury cases. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis which means that our fees are a percentage of what we recover for you. You will not owe us any attorney’s fees in such cases unless we are successful in obtaining compensation on your behalf.
Our South Carolina accident attorneys have recovered over $30 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients. These claims involved automobile accidents, trucking accidents, harmful prescription drugs, medical malpractice, product liability, slip and fall accidents and class action cases. Review our representative cases to see some of our past successes and review our client testimonials to see what some of our clients have to say about us.
Contingency fees are calculated based upon the gross amount recovered. Case costs paid by the firm are also reimbursed to the firm from the amount recovered. In most cases, the client will not be responsible for case costs if there is no recovery. Our agreement regarding fees and expenses applicable to your specific case will be provided in writing.
Any result our lawyers may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients. Each case must stand on its own merit based upon the facts and the law. Some cases referenced were handled by our attorneys while working at other firms, and in some cases, other lawyers participated in the representation of a client.
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