Filing an insurance claim usually happens after an accident. Atlanta car accident claims often result in significant losses. Sometimes, the accident victim may not have money for out-of-pocket expenses. These include medical and other bills. Such crash survivors may thus be in a hurry to get compensation. Consequently, they may consider filing an insurance claim before talking to an Atlanta car accident lawyer.
Some of them want to hire an attorney. However, they feel that it’ll be a long process. So, they’ll prefer to begin the claims process before speaking to a car accident lawyer. Talking to insurers before an attorney is a terrible decision, in all cases, though. Therefore, it’ll be best to hire a lawyer first. Then, allow them to coordinate your interactions with the insurance company.
What’s So Bad About Speaking to the Insurance Company First?
Insurance companies don’t like paying claims. If they can avoid paying claims, they’ll be making profits on the premiums they collect. Even when insurers pay claims, they often make low-ball offers. These offers rarely cover the actual amounts that the accident victim lost in the crash. So, these companies employ several tactics to ensure that the crash survivor gets little or no money.
Insurers Can Induce You to Admit Fault
Admitting responsibility for a Georgia car accident is always a bad idea. Even if you think you’re at fault, it’ll be best only to tell your lawyer. This is because you may be wrong, and it may not matter once you admit guilt. Insurance companies know this, so they can ask a car crash victim who’s responsible for the crash. Then, if you accept fault, they’ll refuse to pay any compensation.
Don’t Give a Recorded Statement
Insurers may not be very direct in asking about the accident fault. Instead, they can ask you for a recorded statement. This statement could be written or audio. Whatever format the statement takes, it’ll be best not to agree. The insurers aren’t really after the truth. They’re only looking for holes in your story. Therefore, they’ll compare your statement with other accounts of the crash. Then, if they see any inconsistencies, they can fault your version of the accident.
Don’t Comment on Your Injuries
Insurance companies often ask crash victims about their injuries. They claim to want to understand the severity of your wounds. However, replying to this question is unwise, especially if you have no medical knowledge. For example, describing your pains as minimal may be interpreted as saying you suffered minor injuries. So, it’ll be best to align your comments with your doctor’s statements. Of course, you can always send your medical records to the insurer if need be.
Benefits of Speaking With an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer First
Lawyers don’t advise contacting them first because of the financial benefits. Instead, your attorney is the only one who has your best interests at heart. For example, the duty of confidentiality prevents them from disclosing your communications to other parties. In addition, a lawyer will not accept your claim if they have conflicting interests.
Furthermore, a lawyer will want to get you the maximum compensation possible. This is because the more you get, the higher their fees. An attorney can also correctly analyze your case to determine how much you deserve. Finally, based on their experience, they can protect you from unscrupulous insurance companies.
What If the Insurance Company Calls You First?
There’s a strong chance that the fault party’s insurer will contact you first. This tactic helps them catch crash victims before they hire any attorneys. When insurance companies call at this stage, they can talk you into not calling lawyers. For example, insurers often lie that attorneys complicate the compensation process.
They may also tempt you with the possibility of avoiding attorney fees. However, it’ll be best to remember that only insurance companies benefit when car accident victims don’t have lawyers. So, it’ll be best to ignore the insurer at this stage and tell them that you must contact your lawyer first. You can also tell them to direct all communications through your attorney henceforth.
Let the Best Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers Handle Your Insurance Claim!
Have you been in an Atlanta car accident? You can file an insurance claim or accident lawsuit if you have. Both options can get you the maximum compensation. However, it’ll be best to first talk to the best Atlanta car accident lawyers before filing that insurance claim.
At Calvin Smith Law, we have multiple years of experience handling car accident claims. We have also won millions of dollars in settlements for our clients. This means that we can add you to our success story too. So, call us today for a FREE consultation.
