How to Deal with Insurance Adjusters After a NY Car Accident
Speaking with insurance adjusters is a complicated manner, especially if such conversations can determine whether or not you recover compensation following a car accident in New York.
When dealing with an insurance adjuster, start by preparing for the initial call. Go over the events of your car accident with our lawyers. We can help you anticipate common questions that insurance adjusters ask so that you are not caught off guard. Then, answer all communications from insurance adjusters. Do not avoid phone calls, as doing so might jeopardize your claim. Submit documentation and proof that confirms your need for compensation, such as surveillance footage and medical records. If an insurance adjuster is being elusive, stay persistent. If negations do not progress and you are not offered an appropriate settlement based on your losses, you may be able to file a car accident lawsuit in New York.
To have The Carrion Law Firm evaluate your case for free, call our New York car accident lawyers today at (718) 841-0083.
Tips on Dealing with an Insurance Adjuster After a Car Accident in New York
Victims who have not sustained serious injuries, and even those who have, might have to speak with an adjuster from their personal injury protection insurance carrier or a negligent driver’s liability insurance company when seeking compensation. Preparing for these conversations is important, as an adjuster might look for reasons to offer you a lowball settlement or deny your claim.
Prepare for Conversations with Adjusters
After an accident in New York, you should expect a call from your personal injury protection insurance carrier. Although New York is a no-fault state for car accidents and PIP coverage can provide some compensation to victims, settlements can vary on a case-by-case basis. Our Queens car accident lawyers can help you prepare for an initial conversation with an insurance adjuster by reviewing the circumstances of your accident. We can draft a statement of sorts that you can refer to when speaking with an insurance adjuster. Preparing yourself for various questions regarding an at-fault driver’s negligence and your own actions is important so that you do not misspeak and jeopardize your claim.
Answer Phone Calls from Adjusters
Following a car accident in New York, an insurance adjuster will call you. Initial phone calls from insurance adjusters typically occur within the first 24 to 48 hours following a report of a motor vehicle accident. When taking this phone call, having our attorneys on the line is important. The insurance adjuster might ask you to consent to being recorded. While this might seem benign initially, if you misspeak during the first call with an insurance adjuster and the call is recorded, that audio could be used as a reason to deny your claim or reduce your settlement. So, victims should refuse when asked if a call with an adjuster can be recorded. Our lawyers can also answer difficult questions that insurance adjusters pose during a phone call. Remain available to insurance adjusters as your claim is being processed. Do not avoid calls, as doing so could hurt your claim in New York.
Provide Documentation
Insurance adjusters might attempt to downplay your injuries or other losses. This can enable an insurance company to reduce a victim’s compensation, namely for medical expenses. Because of this, you should keep careful records of your injuries and expenses following a car accident in New York. You can submit your medical records to an insurance adjuster to reaffirm your need for compensation. Our lawyers will gather additional proof supporting your claim, such as photographs, surveillance footage, and even witness statements. Such evidence can compel an insurance company to provide you with the compensation you deserve. It can also make conversations with an insurance adjuster run smoother, as they will have little room to undermine your claim in New York. When faced with the evidence in your favor, an insurance adjuster might be compelled to settle at a higher amount.
Be Persistent
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for insurance adjusters in New York to ignore victims or delay claims so that victims feel as though they have little choice but to accept a settlement, even if it does not properly compensate them for their losses. This might happen when dealing with your personal injury protection insurance company or a negligent driver’s liability insurance company. Failing to communicate with a claimant properly can be considered an act of bad faith in New York, giving you further reason to file a lawsuit. If an insurance adjuster is ignoring you during the claims process, our Garden City, NY car accident lawyers will be persistent and continue contacting them. We will keep records of attempts at communication so that it is clear that the insurance adjuster, not the victim, is attempting to sink the claim.
Know When to Sue
Insurance adjusters rarely have a victim’s best interest in mind. They are more concerned with offering a lowball settlement that reduces the compensation the insurance company pays to the victim. After a certain point, it may be best to move on from negotiations and file a lawsuit. This must be done within three years of a car accident. Insurance adjusters know this, which is why they might delay a claim for a long time, hoping that a victim will miss the statute of limitations. Even if the deadline has passed for your personal injury claim, you might be able to file a lawsuit against an insurance company for bad faith or breach of contract, depending on the circumstances. You must meet the serious injury threshold to file an injury lawsuit for a motor vehicle accident in New York. This threshold only pertains to injury claims involving a motor vehicle. There is no serious injury threshold for bad faith lawsuits against insurance companies.
Contact Our Lawyers to Discuss Your New York Car Accident
The Staten Island car accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm can analyze your case for free when you call (718) 841-0083 today.