How To Deal With Atlanta Car Accident Adjusters
Getting into a car accident is not on anybody’s to-do list, but the reality is that vehicle accidents occur regularly throughout the state of Georgia. Most people will inevitably be involved in an accident. If you or a loved one do you get into an accident, then you will very likely be dealing with adjusters from the insurance carriers in the case. This includes an adjuster from your insurance carrier as well as an adjuster from the insurance carrier of the other driver involved. It is crucial that you understand how to handle insurance adjusters in the aftermath of a car accident. The adjusters are not your allies. They are essentially your adversaries.
Do Not Give a Recorded Statement
You will be contacted by insurance claims adjusters soon after an accident occurs. You need to be prepared for the adjuster to ask you to give a recorded statement about your version of events. You should politely decline to give any recorded statement. You are not required under Georgia law to give a recorded statement to the insurance carrier.
Insurance claims adjusters are trained to ask questions in such a way to trip so that you say things that could jeopardize your claim. When you were talking about your claim and the incident, stick to the very basic facts of the case and do not go into any speculation about what may have happened, what may have caused the accident, or what you were doing in the vehicle leading up to the incident.
Do Not Sign a Medical Release Authorization
Insurance claims adjusters will very likely ask you to sign a piece of paper releasing your medical records to them. You need to be careful about what you are signing because the insurance claims adjuster may be trying to obtain your complete medical history. While this may not seem like a big deal, the reality is that the insurance carrier will use any past injuries you have sustained as a reason to deny your current claim.
For example, if you had hip surgery five years prior to your vehicle accident and sustained significant pain and suffering after the incident, the insurance claims adjuster could say that your current pain and suffering has to do with that procedure and not the accident.
The insurance carriers will need some form of medical records in order to settle a claim, but they only need the records related to the actual accident in question. Additionally, you should not sign over your medical records or accept any settlement from an insurance carrier before you have finished all medical treatment prescribed by your doctor in the aftermath of the crash. If you accept a settlement before you have reached maximum medical improvement, there will be no way to go back and obtain more compensation if your injuries end up being more severe than you originally thought.
Refer Adjusters to Your Atlanta Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one are involved in an accident caused by the careless or negligent actions of another driver, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. An Atlanta car accident lawyer can use their resources and legal expertise to handle every aspect of your case, including any conversation with insurance claims adjusters. An attorney will ensure that you do not say or do anything that will jeopardize your insurance claim.