Your insurance agent might be your personal friend and probably you even socialize with him or her on occasion. However, no matter how sociable or friendly your agent is, the insurance firm he or she works for can be your worst adversary following a motor vehicle accident. Shortly after the mishap and after filing the claim with your insurance firm, the insurance guys will request to speak to you regarding the motor vehicle accident and getting to know what actually happened. It's easy to misjudge the importance of such a meeting. Your responses in the meeting may be the difference between an approved or denied claim. By first speaking to a motor vehicle accident lawyer, they can help you know the things you shouldn't tell your insurance company or else your claim may be denied.
Tip 1
Avoid any invitation to estimate or guess the facts of the accident case. Unless you're sure what speed you were driving before the collision or what color the traffic lights were, basically reply that you don't remember the answer. Prefacing your words with 'I think' or 'I guess' doesn't hinder the insurance adjuster from punching holes in your statement in order to lower your claim settlement.
Tip 2
It might be tempting to acknowledge fault or to issue an apology in the aftermath of an auto accident, particularly if you actually were culpable. Repel this temptation and don't confess to anyone except your motor vehicle accident attorney. Don't tell the other party involved in the accident, the law enforcement authorities, or an insurance agent. By admitting fault, the insurance adjuster will gladly use that confession to reject your claim. Furthermore, chances are that the other driver might also be at fault for the mishap in some way.
Tip 3
You may not recognize the true magnitude of your injuries for several days or even weeks following the accident. Perhaps you've sustained severe internal injuries that haven't revealed themselves yet. Don't tell your insurance agent that you haven't suffered any injuries until you have gone to hospital and been examined by a medical practitioner. If there are no damages at present only for injuries to manifest themselves later, you may have a hard time convincing the insurance adjuster that you deserve compensation.
Note that, if you've sustained injuries in an auto accident, you should contact a motor vehicle accident lawyer as soon as possible. They will help you with your claim process and how to answer questions posed by the insurance adjuster so that your claim isn't jeopardized.
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