Should I Accept an Initial Insurance Offer?
By Pyle Law, March 03 2020 4:00 pmCar accidents can be confusing and overwhelming, raising many questions such as: should you accept an initial insurance offer after an accident? Not without speaking to a Kansas personal injury attorney.
You and the insurance adjuster have an inherent conflict of interest. The insurance adjuster is assigned with the task of paying you as little as possible for your injuries and damages in an accident. After all, they need to protect their company’s bottom line.
You, however, have bills to pay. You know the wages you lost from missed days at work and the weight of your pain and suffering caused by your accident. While this conflict cannot be avoided, it can be mitigated with the help of an experienced attorney who can use their negotiation skills to your advantage.
To save money, many insurance companies now resort to a tactic of contacting the injured individual as soon as possible after the accident and getting them to settle. It is at this time that the victim is possibly the most desperate as they want to move on with their lives but also have medical bills that need to be paid. At this point, they likely have not had the time or perhaps even thought about contacting their own attorney. The insurance adjuster knows that this is the prime time to offer a low settlement and get the individual to agree to it.
If you do not speak to a personal injury attorney in Kansas before talking with the insurance company, you will not be aware of what your rights are and what your case might be worth. You could be settling for tens of thousands of dollars less than you could get with the help of an experienced attorney on your side. It is also possible that you may not know the full extent of your injuries at that time, making a fair settlement impossible.
In addition to possibly receiving a higher settlement, an attorney can inform you of your rights and help enforce them after an accident. Insurance companies would like you to believe that you have little or no rights after becoming the victim of a crash. You do not have to speak to the insurance adjuster for the other driver at all if you do not want to. In most cases, it is not in your best interest. Once you hire an attorney, they can communicate with the insurance carrier on your behalf.
After a car accident, get the medical attention you need and make calling an attorney your next step. You do not have to accept an initial offer from the insurance company, and in most cases, it is not wise to do so. To schedule your consultation with a well-versed personal injury lawyer in Kansas, call Pyle Law today at 620-241-9000 or toll-free (888) 381-1155 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your consultation.
