Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys Highlight Answers to Common Questions about Insurance Adjusters
If you are a victim of a motor-vehicle incident caused by a negligent person or party, you usually will have to deal with an insurance adjuster. The process of dealing with insurance adjusters can be complicated, frustrating, and fraught with peril. Because adjusters must interact with a high volume of people often under tense and stressful conditions, they typically exhibit strong people skills. If you suffer severe injuries and face significant medical expenses, vehicle repair or replacement costs, pain and suffering or lost wages, it is important not to be misled by the amicable demeanor and apparent cooperation of an insurance adjuster employed by the other party's insurance company. The adjuster's goal is clearly aligned with his or her employer and directly in conflict of you obtaining a full recovery. This blog post answers some common questions that car accident victims in Fulton County and the surrounding areas of Atlanta need to know about insurance adjusters.
Can I expedite processing of my claim by providing as much information as possible to the other driver's insurance adjuster?
No. This is a common misconception though it makes sense on a superficial level. An insurance company obviously will need to review the facts and evidence to assess both liability (i.e., fault) and the amount of damages (economic and non-economic losses) incurred by the personal injury victim. However, the insurer expects the adjuster to examine legal grounds to deny that its client was liable and/or to mitigate the amount of compensation owed to the crash victim. If you do not have the benefit of legal representation, there is a high risk that you might provide information that compromises the value of your recovery. If you discuss details of the accident with the adjuster or provide a written statement, the adjuster will carefully analyze the information you provide to find a basis to shift a portion or all of the fault to you. The insurer might get a driver to admit he was driving slightly over the speed limit to demonstrate that the victim either contributed to the crash or engaged in conduct that resulted in more severe injuries. While your personal injury lawyer will provide documents like medical records, vehicle repair estimates, reports from accident reconstruction experts, and other evidence to the insurance company, the attorney might object to providing certain information. Further, personal injury lawyers recognize the types of information that can weaken a car accident lawsuit in Georgia.
How long can I expect to wait before the insurance adjuster settles my case or a verdict is obtained in my personal injury lawsuit?
The short answer is that other than Georgia's two year statute of limitation for injury claims, there is no immediate time limit within which the insurance company must settle your claim after a car accident. The law does impose deadlines in terms of many aspects of a lawsuit, such as filing a complaint to initiate a lawsuit, giving notice to public entities that will be named as defendants, and responding to discovery requests, just to name a few examples. However, insurance companies often drag out the settlement process when facing unrepresented parties because they understand that these delays impose economic pressure on injury victims with mounting medical bills and lost income. Our experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers understand how to create deadlines to keep lawsuits moving toward a resolution.
Will the other party's insurance company use a recorded statement against me?
Insurance adjusters often reach out early to an injury victim to request a recorded statement. The insurance carrier might portray the purpose of this statement as gathering information to expedite processing of the claim. However, the actual purpose of this statement is to identify potential defenses to liability and grounds to mitigate damages. The reason this request is made at the earliest stages of the claim process is because the insurance company recognizes its advantage when negotiating with an unrepresented party.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For Your Personal Injury Case!
If you have suffered serious injury, our Atlanta Auto Accident Lawyers diligently pursue the fullest compensation for our clients. Montlick and Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over thirty years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Sources:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812148.pdf