Important Mistakes to Avoid When Dealing with Insurance Companies After an Accident
Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys Discuss Important Mistakes to Avoid When Dealing with Insurance Companies
When you are involved in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else, feelings of stress and uncertainty are natural reactions. If you experience injury, the pain and prospect of medical treatment often intensify your anxiety. Collision victims overwhelmed by these physical and emotional challenges might not place a high priority on pursuing a legal claim or navigating insurance company obstacles. However, insurance carriers do not maximize their profits by promptly paying the full value of legitimate claims. Our Atlanta personal injury attorneys at Montlick & Associates have provided a list of important things to avoid when dealing with the other driver’s insurance company.
Avoid Talking about Your Accident/Claim with the Other Driver’s Insurer
The at-fault driver’s insurance company might try to contact you to obtain “your side of the story.” Individuals who are involved in car accidents need to remember insurance companies are not interested in the facts about your accident unless they mitigate the amount the insurer must pay out on a claim. While it is not necessarily a lie that the insurance company is interested in information to “process your claim,” this also is not the whole truth. The insurer wishes to talk to you to probe for facts and details that suggest you are at fault for causing the crash or that minimize the severity of your injuries caused by the collision. The best practice is to not speak with the at-fault driver's insurance carrier without consulting with one of our attorneys first.
Avoid Talking to Third Parties about Your Case
When you are injured in a collision, the incident will usually be the type of significant life event that you would share with family and friends. Despite this natural temptation, you should not discuss your car accident claim against another driver without talking to your auto accident lawyer. When you disclose facts to a third-party that might otherwise be protected by attorney-client privilege, you can waive this protection which shields communications between you and your lawyer subject to certain limited exceptions.
Avoid Social Network Posting
Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their ilk provide an effective way to stay connected with distant loved ones. While there is a range of positive aspects of this method of communication, insurance companies now routinely scour social media for photos, video clips, and other facts that can weaken a personal injury claim. While discussing the details of your accident might constitute an obvious mistake, many other more innocuous posts can be a problem. A photo with you in the background lifting a box despite a bad back on a day you are feeling particularly good might be referenced as evidence that you are not injured, a very unfair argument.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 35 Years Of Legal Experience To Work For Your Case!
If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Montlick & Associates today for your free consultation with an experienced Accident Attorney in Georgia. Montlick & Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 35 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.
Your Time to File a Claim is Limited By Georgia Law
There are time limitations for bringing a claim. Be sure to read our "Georgia Statute of Limitations" page for more information about important deadlines that effect your ability to file an injury claim. We also provide a "A Guide to Personal Injury Law in Georgia" that will help you better understand the laws the affect your case.
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.
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Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333
