It is an unfortunate reality that car accidents occur at a shocking rate in Washington State and throughout the United States. Along with the potential shock, injuries, and property damage associated with a car accident comes the inevitable battle with the insurance company. To make sure you don’t throw away your rights when it comes to being injured in a traffic accident, here are seven tips on how you can protect yourself against and beat the insurance company.
1. Identify all the witnesses so that there is someone to support your case if it goes to court.
2. Get all the contact information from the witnesses at the scene. When you interview them, ask them what they saw and take note of phrases they used like “slammed into,” “plowed,” “speeding,” or “he ran the red light.” Some people believe that there are insurance companies that send adjusters to the scene of an accident to catch people off guard, ask incriminating questions or get them to sign away any rights they may have to future compensation. So, beware of insurance representatives at the scene of car accidents. To avoid being questioned about your injury by an adjuster, schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible after the accident.
3. Many attorneys are often asked by adjusters, “If your client was really hurt, why did he wait so long to see a doctor?” If you are injured in a car accident in Washington, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Immediately after the accident, take pictures of your car.
4. A picture taken of your car at the scene of the accident is evidence that is difficult to dispute. Pictures of the damage will help tell your story. If you can, take pictures of the other cars involved in the accident. Some people carry a small, inexpensive camera in their
glove compartment for these types of situations. Also, many mobile phones are equipped with a camera feature and can be used for this purpose. Also, take pictures of your injuries before they heal. Bruises and other injuries heal after several weeks, and months after an accident. When the insurance adjuster is arguing that the collision was not very significant, pictures of your bruises and other injuries will help solidify your injury claim. Keep notes about your injuries.
5. As weeks or months pass after an accident, you may forget how it hurts just to wear it, and the adjuster will try to make it seem like every description you give is an exaggeration. Keep track of any pain medication that may be prescribed for your injuries. Get letters from your employer and family describing how the injury has changed your life. These types of written documents are invaluable when presenting your claim to the insurance adjuster or to a judge and jury in court. Keep receipts, because the adjuster will ask for proof of anything you claim as an expense.
6. You should definitely keep receipts for prescriptions, home services made necessary by the injuries you suffered in the accident, car rentals, etc. Keep each of those receipts so you can document every expense. The insurance adjuster may try to tell you that your claim is worth much less than it really is.
7. It is very common that an injured victim does not know the real value of his claim. And the adjuster will try to make you believe that your claim is worth much less than it actually is. It is the adjuster’s job to save the insurance company money by settling your claim for as little as possible. The adjuster will try to make your claim seem unimportant, so you may want to seek help elsewhere to determine the true value of your claim. The bottom line: The insurance company is not on your side.
The goal of the insurance company is to make as much money as possible. They do this by paying you as little as possible for your injuries.
