Following a motor vehicle accident — or any sort of accident that leaves you with a personal injury and medical bills — your insurance company will need to know about it, preferably soon after the incident. Insurance companies love to advertise in a way that makes them seem like your best friend and defender after being in an accident. Does this mean you can call them up and expect no problems? Or, should you seek legal guidance before dealing with your insurance company?
When You Should Get Help for Your Own Insurer
If you were in an accident and no one was seriously injured, then you can probably deal with your insurance company on your own. The process should be fairly routine, such as collecting testimonies about what happened, arranging for any necessary medical care, and preparing to interact with the insurance companies of the other parties involved. Stick to the truth and you should be fine.
However, if you or someone else suffered a serious injury or extensive damages, then dealing with your insurance company alone could be a mistake. When large financial sums are on the line, insurance companies tend to start looking out for themselves more than their own customers. Minimizing coverage payouts becomes their priority.
Everything you say to a representative of your insurance company could eventually be used against you, almost as if you were entering a criminal process. In particular, the insurer may be looking for ways to give you less coverage. For example, if you call your insurance company and say you were hurt but “feel fine right now,” then they might not approve extensive medical care later. Any responding insurance company will also be paying attention for ways to minimize the liability of their own customer by maximizing your own.
When in Doubt, Talk to an Attorney
How you should interact with your insurer and other insurance companies can vary depending on the severity of your accident. To eliminate the guesswork and avoid furthered complications, you should talk with a personal injury lawyer first. With the representation and counsel of an injury attorney, you can learn the dos and don’ts of dealing with insurers. It might even be possible for your attorney to act entirely on your behalf during all interactions with insurance companies, even having any future inquiries and correspondences send to their desk before your own.
For comprehensive and compassionate personal injury representation in Charleston, contact Berthold Law Firm, PLLC today. Our team has decades of collective legal experience managing all sorts of personal injury claims from start to finish. We know how to deal with insurance companies in ways that do not jeopardize your potential to collect damages and compensation. The goal from the beginning is making certain you get every penny you need and deserve after an accident that was not your fault.
Call (304) 605-2040 for more information about your rights and our services.