If you have been injured due to an auto accident, you most likely will need some type of medical care, whether its short term or long term. When an accident occurs, insurance companies immediately protect their investments as much as possible. A claim may be necessary to file in order to receive some type of benefit for your injury, especially if the injury was severe enough to prevent you from your everyday routine including work.
When an insurance company has been notified about an injury, the will immediately open up an investigation to determine who was at fault. To do conduct this investigation, an insurance company will hire an insurance adjuster. If the result ends up that both parties are the ones at fault, only some of the compensation will come from one insurance company. If the individual who was injured can establish damages, the insurance adjuster will then represent the insurance company and make an offer to settle the case out of court. If the injured individual cannot or will not accept the offer, the injured individual will then have the right to hire a personal injury lawyer in Medicine Hat and take the claim to court to get the amount of money he/she is searching for.
Risks of Talking to Insurance Adjusters
One may wonder if it is safe to talk to an insurance adjuster regarding your injuries, the accident, or the settlement. The truth is, you should always have an attorney or someone to represent you when speaking with an adjuster should anything be turned around or misinterpreted.
General Guidelines
While the insurance adjuster may show interest when talking to you regarding this matter, it is always a good idea to remember that he/she is also working for the insurance company and a settlement out of court will benefit them more.
When Cooperation Is Necessary
There are times when it is important to cooperate with an insurance adjuster. If you are involved in a no-fault accident or your accident took place in a no-fault state, you will want to have the opportunity to work with an adjuster as much as you can in order to settle the case. You can still seek some representation whenever it is possible and necessary for guidance.
Other Caveats
In some cases, the adjuster is sent to talk to you in order to extract vital information that can be used against you and your case. They may also try to record the conversation between you two in order to get everything they need on tape and as proof. In some cases, the insurance adjuster will try to get you to sign a medical release form and if you do, this gives them the rights to all your medical records. In some cases, the insurance company will try and use some of this information they obtained to win their case and leave you without any type of settlement.