Dealing With Insurance Companies After a McKinney Car Accident

In the aftermath of a car accident, a person may be faced with crucial legal decisions. Information must be exchanged with other involved parties, police may have questions if the accident was severe enough, and insurance companies representing all involved parties must also be contended with. Individuals are recommended to call a skilled attorney before dealing with insurance companies after a McKinney car accident. A practiced auto collision lawyer could advise individuals on how to protect themselves against the interests of the insurance company and their adjusters.

What are the Risks of Speaking to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?

There are several dangers of giving a recorded statement on the other side’s insurance company before talking to an attorney. The person may not have all the facts available to them at the time they are giving the statement. They may not know whether or not the other driver was on the cell phone, intoxicated, or had other issues as to why they reacted the way that they did.

Dealing With Insurance Adjusters

Insurance adjusters are trained specifically to do one of two things. They could deflect blame off of their company or the person they are insuring to save themselves money. They may also try to have the injured person minimize the severity of their injuries. It is very common for people to say they are doing fine, even if they are unwell, in an effort to be socially nice. The adjusters could be trained to use this tendency against the individual making the statement.

Protecting One’s Private Information

Insurance companies may have the insured grant additional permissions or sign additional documents to gather medical records and tax records. The other side has already gathered a lot of information about the clients that they might not otherwise be able to gather.

Our dedicated car crash attorneys in McKinney could help a person protect their privacy and good name when dealing with insurance companies. A lawyer may also be able to advise the injured individuals on how to protect themselves and their injury claim even when giving a statement is required.

While an underinsured or uninsured motorist carrier may have the right to take an underinsured or uninsured motorist claim, a lawyer could help them understand what they may be entitled to and what they could ask for.

Should People Accept Early Settlement Offers?

In any car accident claim, insurance companies have an advantage that is built in whenever a crash occurs. If the company’s insurance is involved in a claim, they could get police reports early. There is no prohibition that prevents companies from calling the injured person to seek statements. The company may attempt to do a swoop and settle, where they come in and take the statement. They could attempt to settle the case for pennies on the hundred dollars before the plaintiff truly understands how badly they were hurt.

There are scenarios in which insurance companies offer money to repair vehicles. There may be no harm in accepting this release if it is made clear the payment covers property damage only. Insurance companies may attempt to sneak in a general release of all injury claims with a property-damage-only release. An attorney could routinely review the releases to ensure that injury claims are not being released with the property damage. Swoop-and-settles are also common when companies offer checks in a hurry.

Common Misconceptions About Insurance Companies

People typically make the mistake of giving recorded statements to other driver’s insurance company before consulting an attorney out of good faith. Individuals may assume that insurance companies are looking out for their best interest. In reality, their job is to save the insurance company as much money as they are able to.

The job of a person’s personal attorney is exactly the opposite. Our McKinney auto collision lawyers could look out for the person when dealing with insurance companies and fight tirelessly ensure the individual is not settling for an unfair amount.

Let an Attorney Deal With Insurance Companies After a McKinney Car Accident

It could be critical to consult an attorney before dealing with insurance companies after a McKinney car accident. An accomplished lawyer may be able to examine the situation to see if you are being treated fairly. Call us today to schedule a consultation.