How to Deal With Insurance Adjusters After a Car Accident
Vehicle accidents occur regularly throughout Texas. Based on data from reportable crashes during the latest year in Texas, one person was injured every two minutes in three seconds in a vehicle collision in this state. In the event you or a loved one are involved in an accident, you are going to have to deal with car insurance carriers. This includes your insurance carrier as well as the carrier of the other driver(s) involved. It is important that you understand how to deal with insurance adjusters in the aftermath of a Texas automobile collision. Insurance claims adjusters are very good at their jobs, and their goal is to make sure that the insurance policy pays as little as possible in a settlement to claimants. Insurance adjusters may seem very friendly, but they are also trained to get you to say things that could jeopardize any settlement you receive.
Should I Post to Social Media During an Ongoing Personal Injury Case?
It may seem like second nature to log on to social media and tell your friends, family members, and followers that you have been involved in a car accident and post photos of the accident scene. In fact, many people stream live from the scene of a crash. Some of the most common places that people post about vehicle accidents they have been involved in are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. However, it is strongly advised that you do not post any information about your vehicle accident on social media. Even if you have the highest privacy settings on your social media accounts, you can be sure that the auto insurance claims adjusters or legal teams for the other parties will find a way to gain access to your posts. All it takes is one family member or friend to copy or share your post to give others information that you thought was private. Even something innocuous like posting about going to the grocery store could jeopardize your case, particularly if you have said that you have certain injuries that keep you from going about your daily activities. Insurance claims adjusters will use anything you post to try and deny your claim during the claims process, or reduce the amount they pay in a settlement.
Should I Give a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Company?
You are not legally required to give a recorded statement to a car insurance company, and you should avoid doing so. Insurance claims adjusters will try to make it seem like you have to give a recorded statement in order for your case to be settled, but this is not true. The reason they want a recorded statement from you is so they can use it against you in the future. Adjusters from car insurance companies will try to get you to say something while you are on record that could jeopardize your claim. For example, the insurance claims adjuster may try to get you to admit that you could have avoided the accident. They may try to confuse you about the speed you were driving at the time the collision occurred or ask you about whether you have ever looked at your phone while driving. The claims adjuster from insurance providers may even try to engage you in friendly banter about your weekend activities in an effort to get you to admit doing things after claiming you sustained personal injuries.
Work with an Attorney
If you or somebody you love has been involved in an accident caused by the careless or negligent actions of another person, you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. If you involve an attorney, they will be the one to handle communications with other parties involved, including insurance adjusters. Your focus needs to be on recovering from your injuries and spending time with your family, not worrying about accidentally misspeaking and jeopardizing your claim.