After a car accident, one of the smartest things you can do to protect yourself is to let an experienced personal injury attorney handle the insurance company. Talking to an insurance adjuster after an accident in Alabama leaves you open to tactics designed to minimize or deny your claim.
Insurance Adjusters Work for the Insurer, Not for You
Insurance companies are profit-oriented businesses, and paying claimants more money eats into their profits. As a result, insurance adjusters are trained to get people to say things to discredit themselves or minimize their own losses. The insurance company can then use the claimant’s statements to justify lowball offers or even deny claims outright.
While adjusters may seem friendly on the phone, remember that they are not trying to help you resolve your claim so much as they are trying to protect their employer’s margins.
Alabama’s 1% Rule Makes Every Word You Say High-Stakes
Another reason to avoid speaking to the insurance company is that Alabama has a contributory negligence law that bars people from recovering compensation if they were as little as 1 percent at fault for an accident. That is why the adjuster will try to get you to admit to doing something that might have contributed to the accident. They can cite your admission of fault to deny your claim outright.
What an Attorney Does When They Take Over Communications
Getting an experienced attorney in your corner as early as possible when navigating insurance claims can spare you a lot of hassle and substantially reduce your risk of exposure to insurance company tactics.
Your lawyer can prevent you from agreeing to give a recorded statement. When an adjuster offers you a lowball settlement, your attorney can also help you avoid accepting an amount that is less than you deserve. In short, when you work with a lawyer experienced in car accident cases, all communication must go through them. The insurance company can no longer contact you directly. That provides substantial protection and peace of mind during a trying time.
What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Say Before You Have a Lawyer
You may reasonably wonder, “Should I talk to the insurance company after a car accident in Alabama?” If you must do so before you have an attorney representing you, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Report the accident to your insurance company, but share nothing beyond the basic facts of the accident. Do not speculate about causes or admit partial fault.
- Do not agree to give a recorded statement.
- Do not say you are fine or otherwise minimize the severity of your injuries or financial concerns.
- Anytime you are unsure, be honest and say, “I don’t know.” Do not speculate or offer an opinion.
Talk to Our Huntsville Car Accident Attorneys Before You Talk to the Insurance Company
If you got hurt in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, such as your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. However, the other driver’s insurance company might resist paying you what you deserve in a fair settlement.
Turn to the Huntsville car accident lawyers at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., for support before you talk to an adjuster. We have over six decades of experience and have recovered more than $168 million for our clients.
Don't Let One Phone Call Cost You Your Claim
In Alabama, being just 1% at fault can bar you from recovery, and insurance adjusters know exactly what to ask. Before you talk to them, talk to us.
Contact us right away to get started with a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers.
