Do NOT Do Any of The Following Before Getting Our Advice
Do Not Talk with Insurance Company Representatives:
You should not talk with any insurance company representative, including your own, until after you have talked with us. You should not give a statement to anyone without first consulting with us. Do not give anyone any recorded statement without first obtaining our legal advice. Do not meet with any insurance company representative without us. Anything that you say is evidence and can be used against you.
The insurance companies’ goals are to minimize their exposure and pay out as little as possible when an injury or death occurs. Insurance companies use experienced claims adjusters whose job it is to aggressively undermine each aspect of the accident injury or death claim. Their goal is to try to reduce the amount that they pay out, and pay out as little as possible on your claim. We can determine if the insurance company’s request is legitimate. If it is, we can provide the information for your response.
Generally, to expedite the repairs of your vehicle and to obtain a rental vehicle, you should speak directly to the insurance company regarding those matters. However, do not discuss how the accident happened, or any injuries or medical treatment. Be careful because the insurance company may be tape-recording your conversation.
Do Not Complete Paperwork:
If you receive any paperwork or forms regarding the accident, call us. Obtain our legal advice before filling out any paperwork concerning the accident or your injuries. You should never fill out anything without first talking to us.It is especially important that you do not sign any document from any insurance company without first obtaining our advice. It could be a “release” (which ends your right to collect in the future even if your injury is more serious than you realize) or an “authorization” (which allows them to get all your confidential records, even ones that have nothing to do with your case).
Do Not Accept a Check From the At-Fault Driver or the Insurance Company:
Accepting a check may be construed as a settlement that prohibits you from obtaining any additional amounts from the at-fault driver or his or her insurance company. Therefore, you should not accept a check or sign a release from the at-fault driver or his or her insurance company before speaking with us and getting our opinion and legal advice.A bad financial situation after a major loss may make it seem necessary for you accept a premature, inadequate settlement. Typically, an attorney will encourage you to wait to accept a check until you have completed your medical treatment and have been released by your doctor. That way, you know the full extent of your injuries and the total damages to which you are entitled. Otherwise, the amount of compensation that is offered by the insurance company may prove to be grossly inadequate to cover all of your medical bills and other damages. An insurance adjuster will push you to settle the claim for the lowest possible amount, and may even discourage you from contacting an attorney. Talk with us before accepting any payment, signing any release, or otherwise settling your claim to insure that you are receiving fair compensation and not jeopardizing your right to a full and fair recovery.
Do not automatically accept any estimate or appraisal of your losses given to you by the insurer. Insurance companies will often try to get you to accept their estimator’s repair or replacement estimates, which might be low.
It is especially important that you do not sign any document from any insurance company without first obtaining our advice. It could be a “release” (which ends your right to collect in the future even if your personal injury is more serious than you realize) or an “authorization” (which allows them to get all your confidential records, even ones that have nothing to do with your accident and injury case).