What Not to Say to the Insurance Company After a Truck Accident
If you were hurt in a crash involving a commercial truck, you have the right to file a legal claim to recover your losses. If you are successful with your claim, you can obtain damages for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. Whether or not you are successful with your claim largely relies on what you say, and do not say, to the insurance adjuster.
The adjuster is trying to minimize losses for the insurance company, even if that means settling with you at a lower amount than what is needed to fully cover your losses. While there is certain information you may have to give the adjuster, there are also certain things you should never say or do. Below, our San Antonio truck accident lawyer explains what these are.
Do Not Provide a Recorded or Written Statement
Insurance adjusters are very skilled at using your own words against you. If you make a mistake or say anything that contradicts what you said previously, it can place your entire claim in jeopardy. Never provide a written or recorded statement that will allow them to use your own words against you in the future. If you provide a written or recorded statement and did not explain things clearly or made a mistake, it will later be used against you and there is not a way “throw out” or “dismiss” the statement (even if you did not have a lawyer present).
Do Not Sign Anything
The adjuster may ask you to sign a medical release. They do this so they can dig through your medical history and find a pre-existing condition they can blame for your injuries. If they are successful, they can then deny the damages you are pursuing or lower the amount they offer you (usually on false pretenses).
You should also never accept a settlement offer verbally and you should never sign a settlement offer before reviewing either one with an attorney. The adjuster may offer a settlement right away, but it will not be enough to fully cover the cost of your injuries and other losses. You also cannot go back to the insurer if you need more compensation in the future. A lawyer will negotiate the full amount of damages you need to make a full recovery.
Do Not Use the Insurer’s Service Providers
The adjuster will likely provide you with many recommendations regarding medical providers, auto mechanics, and more. They may even tell you that you are obligated to use the providers in their network. This is not true. You have no legal obligation to use your insurance company’s service providers. These companies work for the insurer and will not treat you fairly. They may provide lower quality service to reduce costs for the insurer and you may not receive the care you need. They may provide the repair services at a discount for the insurance company, which the insurance company will then argue that, because the cost of repair of your vehicle was lower, the impact was not strong enough to hurt you or it was a “minor impact” so the value of your injuries should be a lower amount.
Our Truck Accident Attorney in San Antonio Can Help You Avoid Mistakes
Insurance companies are very adept at making sure they do not pay more than they have to on claims. The best way to avoid their strategies is to allow a San Antonio truck accident lawyer to negotiate with them on your behalf. At the Law Offices of Israel Garcia, our San Antonio truck accident attorney will speak with the insurer on your behalf and ensure you are treated fairly so you obtain the maximum damages you deserve. Call us today at 210-LAW-9999 or contact us online to request a free review of your case.
Source:
law.cornell.edu/wex/negligence
