It is an unfortunate reality that car accidents occur at a staggering rate in Washington State and throughout the United States. Along with the potential impact, injury, and property damage associated with a car accident comes the inevitable battle with the insurance company. To make sure you don’t waste your rights when it comes to being injured in a traffic collision, here are seven tips on how you can protect yourself and beat the insurance company.
1. Identify all witnesses so there is someone to support your case if it goes to court.
2. Obtain all contact information for witnesses at the scene. When you interview them, ask them what they saw and take note of phrases they used such as “crashed,” “carred,” “speeded,” or “ran a red light.” Some people believe that insurance companies send adjusters to the scene of an accident to catch people off guard by asking incriminating questions or signing off any rights they may have to future compensation. Therefore, beware of insurance representatives at the scene of the car accident. To prevent an adjuster from asking you questions about your injury, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible after the accident.
3. Many attorneys are frequently asked by adjusters, “If your client was really hurt, why did you wait so long to see a doctor?” If you are injured in a Washington car accident, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Immediately after the accident, take pictures of your car.
4. A photograph taken of your car at the scene of the accident is hard evidence 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 keep a small, inexpensive camera in their glove compartment for these types of situations. Furthermore, many mobile phones are equipped with a camera function and can be used for this purpose. Also, take pictures of your wounds before they heal. Bruises and other injuries heal several weeks to months after an accident. When the insurance adjuster argues that the accident was not very significant, pictures of your bruises and other injuries will help solidify your injury claim. Take notes about your injuries.
5. As the weeks or months pass after an accident, you may forget how simply dressing hurt, and the adjuster will try to make any description you give sound like an exaggeration. Keep track of pain medications 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 judge and jury in court. Save your receipts, because the adjuster will ask for proof of anything you claim as an expense.
6. You should definitely save receipts for prescriptions, household services needed for injuries you sustained in the accident, car rental, etc. Save each of those receipts so you can document each expense. The insurance adjuster may try to tell you that your claim is worth far less than it is.
7. It is very common for an injured victim to not know the true value of their claim. And an adjuster will try to make you believe that her claim is worth far less than it is. The adjuster’s job is to save the insurance company money by settling your claim for the least amount possible. The adjuster will try to make your claim seem insignificant, so they may want to seek help elsewhere in determining 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 giving him as little as possible for his injuries.