Mark Roman | May 1, 2020 | Car Accidents

Understanding the Claims Adjustment Process

The role of a claims adjuster is to investigate car accident claims to assess the extent of damages and who is responsible. When it comes to speaking with an insurance claims adjuster, what you say can have an impact on your claim. Here’s how to protect yourself.

When Will You Have to Speak to a Claims Adjuster?

After filing a car accident claim, you may get a phone call from the other party’s insurance company. It’s critical to understand that you are not obligated to speak to the other party’s insurance company adjuster. Their objective is to find ways to point the fault of the accident to you so they can avoid paying out compensation for your injuries — even if the other party is entirely at fault.

Before deciding to speak to the other party’s adjuster, first, consider hiring a car accident lawyer who is experienced in handling these types of claims. Sharing information about your claim with the other party’s insurance adjuster could prevent you from collecting any damages.

Pro tip! When receiving a call from an insurance adjuster, be sure to ask them their name and the insurance company they represent before answering any questions. You may think you are speaking to your own insurance company when, in fact, it could be the other party’s claims adjuster.

How to Speak to Your Own Insurance Company

When speaking to the insurance adjuster from your own insurance company, the only information you need to tell them is the following:

  • Your full name
  • Your address
  • Your phone number
  • Your place of employment and position

You do not have to give details about your occupation, such as job responsibilities or salary information. For example, if your job requires you to lift heavy objects, they could say that you sustained a back injury from your job and not a car accident.

You can also provide them with the following:

  • When and where the accident occurred
  • The vehicles that were involved
  • Names of any witnesses to the accident
  • The type of accident (rear-end collision, head-on collision, etc.)

By answering any other questions, you may be putting your claim at risk. If you feel pressured or harassed to give any further details, contact a car accident attorney for help. Having an experienced lawyer on your side can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

Contact the Clearwater Car Accident Law Firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a car accident lawyer in Clearwater. We have five convenient locations in Florida: Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.

We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442