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Ways Insurance Adjusters Try to Trick Accident Victims

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in

guy on the couch talking on his cell phoneYou may talk to or receive a call from an insurance adjuster after getting hurt in a car accident.

Even though this person may sound friendly, one of the adjuster’s objectives is finding information to deny your claim or devalue the damages you suffered. There are various tricks he or she may use to encourage you to say something that could damage your case, such as making a statement that downplays your injuries.

You can protect your claim by hiring an experienced lawyer to talk to the insurance company on your behalf. The Arnold Law Firm’s Sacramento car accident lawyers can assess your case and help you retain the value of your claim.

Acting Like They Are on Your Side

The insurance adjuster may reach out to you in a casual, friendly manner and act like he or she is on your side. He or she may express sympathy, which may cause you to reply with socially typical responses that you will be “okay” or make statements that downplay your injuries.

They may also say that they want to get the case closed quickly so you can get compensation and move forward. However, settlements offered early in the process are likely to be much less than what you deserve. The adjuster may be hoping you will quickly take the money before you have a chance to talk to an experienced lawyer about the fair value of your claim.

Conversely, adjusters may also claim that they are working hard on your claim while they delay progress on your settlement.

Fishing for Information

The insurance adjuster may engage in friendly conversation to fish for information about your claim, such as:

  • Information on how the accident was caused
  • Types of injuries you have suffered
  • Medications you are currently taking
  • What you were doing immediately before the accident
  • What you remember about the accident

The adjuster may be seeking contradictory, inaccurate or misleading information to ultimately use against you in an incomplete or out-of-context manner. When talking to the insurance adjuster, keep any information you provide brief and factual. Avoid downplaying your injuries or making estimates about the value of your damages.

Saying You are Required to Give a Statement

The insurance adjuster may ask you give a recorded statement about the accident. He or she may claim that this is a requirement or that it will speed up the process. Insurance companies may use your recorded statement to damage your claim. By law, you are not required to give a statement.

Sending You a Social Media Friend Request

Because many people share important aspects of their life on social media, insurance adjusters may try to gain access to your social media information by sending a friend request. They may even copy someone else’s social media page and use a fake identity to try to gain access to this information.  If they cannot find information from you directly, they may try to find information about you and your claim by cyberstalking your social media friends’ pages.

Some ways to help prevent an insurance adjuster from getting information about your claim on social media include:

  • Not using social media while your case is pending
  • Adjusting your privacy settings
  • Not providing information about your injuries or the accident on social media
  • Not accepting friend requests from people you do not know
  • Asking not to be tagged or linked on other people’s social media pages while your claim is pending
  • Not discussing anything you have shared with your personal injury lawyer

Contact an Experienced Attorney for Help

The experienced attorneys at the Arnold Law Firm are dedicated to helping victims recover maximum compensation for their claims. We can take over communication with the insurance company so that you can focus solely on your recovery.

Contact us today to learn more about your legal rights, and how we may be able to help you with your claim. The consultation is free, and there is no obligation.

Call us at (916) 777-7777.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.