Will Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer Make The First Contact With The Defendant's Insurance Company?
The first contact injury victims have with the defendants' insurance company is vital. Usually, by the time injury victims return home from the hospital, their phones are already ringing, and the defendant's insurance adjuster or legal representative is trying to get statements. The Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer states that these communication efforts are attempts to get the plaintiff to share immediate statements about their lack of injuries. Plaintiffs who speak too much have their statements used against them in the future. Often, insurance adjusters or the defendant's representatives make quick offers of small amounts of money, hoping the plaintiff will settle then and there instead of creating a detailed claim for compensation. Rushing during these post-accident contacts with insurance adjusters or representatives can be very harmful. Here's what injury attorneys want plaintiffs to do during these conversations.
Revealing as Less as Possible
Any form of communication, especially phone conversations, can be excruciating for victims of accidents. In their agitation and pain, they may say something that unfavorably affects their claim. That's why Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer always asks clients to remain calm and well-mannered in these conversations. Demonstrating anger about the accident and the injuries is ok; taking this anger out on the defendant's insurance adjusters isn't. Bear in mind - insurance adjusters deal with hundreds of angry claimants every year, and they're smart enough to use your anger against you. That's why revealing as little information as possible and attempting to gain the insurance adjuster's good will should be the only objectives of these initial communications.
Who Called You?
The first thing Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer asks his/her clients is who called them. That's why identifying the person calling or emailing before discussing anything, even your name, is important. Ask them how they got your address/telephone number before starting the conversation. Note down the insurance company's name, the adjuster's name or the law firm the attorney represents.
Share No Accident-Related Information
Technically, accident victims only need to share their contact details with the defendant's insurance adjuster. That's only for them to be able to contact the victim throughout the claims process. Other than that, sharing any information, even the victim's place of employment, is unnecessary. If the insurance adjuster starts fishing for details like family information, earnings, place of work, etc., the victim should refer them to their Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer. More importantly, zero details related to the accident should be shared. Insurance adjusters will convincingly persuade victims to share statements about how the injuries or the accident. Courteously refusing to discuss such details is the right step. Inform them that the investigation of the injuries and the accident is still ongoing, and details can only be shared at appropriate times, i.e., when the victim is drafting an official demand for compensation.
When Insurance Adjusters Cross the Line