How to Communicate with Insurers after a Car Accident

About 10% of motorists in South Carolina are insured. After a crash, insurance companies play a prominent role in gathering evidence and assessing fault. They will also take the lead on working out a settlement. Any motorist injured in a crash should reach out to Snyder Heitman LLC for legal assistance. You can hire a car accident lawyer to negotiate on your behalf.

Below, we emphasize these tips for communicating with insurance companies. Too many motorists make unhelpful comments and hamper their legal claims, so it is best to hire a lawyer to tackle the claim for you.

Report an Accident Quickly, But Provide Only Basic Information

You should report an accident within 24 hours to your insurance company. We recommend calling as soon as you can after receiving medical care at the hospital.

The insurance company will want basic information about the crash, including location, date, and time, as well as the identity of any other motorist involved. Provide this basic info but do not say more about the accident.

Avoid Giving a Recorded Statement

As the weeks roll by, the insurance companies might reach out to you and ask you to give a recorded statement. You should say “no.”

The risk with a recorded statement is that you will say something that can legally undermine your claim. One common example is any hint that you accept partial responsibility for the accident. Under South Carolina law, your compensation is reduced by your share of liability, also called “fault.”

Some motorists accidentally admit they were tired when they got into an accident or that they were using their phone in the moments before a rear-end collision. Facts like these can shift some of the blame from the other driver onto your shoulders.

Also, you might minimize your own injuries or pain. For example, you might say you are feeling “fine,” which the insurance company uses to offer a low settlement.

At the end of the day, insurance companies are trying to maximize their profits. They will look for any reason to reduce the amount of any proposed settlement.

Share Required Documents with Insurance Companies

They will likely request information from you, such as the accident report number or medical bills. You should give them any requested information as soon as possible to help with the claim.

Hire a Lawyer Today

Your lawyer can handle all communications with the insurance companies. You should focus on your physical and emotional recovery. In fact, there is no reason for you to be bothered at all with the insurance companies.

Let our office decide what information you turn over to the insurance companies and whether any proposed settlement is fair. We can work to fully compensate your injuries with a meaningful settlement that covers medical bills and provides for general damages.

A lawyer can also help if the other motorist was uninsured. Increasingly, South Carolina residents are dropping insurance due to the economy, and we might need to negotiate with your own uninsured motorist insurer.

Contact a Greenville car accident lawyer at Snyder Heitman. We also represent clients in Spartanburg and Upstate South Carolina.

Source:

iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists