The Other Party’s Insurance Adjuster Won’t Return My Calls After an Accident
You’ve been in an accident, contacted the other party’s insurance company, and now…you’re waiting. You feel like you’ve called a dozen times, only to get ignored over and over again. It’s frustrating when you do everything right, but it doesn’t help you at all.
If you’re getting ghosted by an insurance adjuster, you still have options. Explore them now by calling Peake & Fowler at 803-788-4370.
Recognize It’s Not Your Fault
In the aftermath of an accident, it’s easy to blame yourself if you’re not getting a good outcome. You might wonder if you gave too much information, were too eager during your initial call, or allowed yourself to take some of the blame for the collision. The fact is, though, that it isn’t your fault. This is extremely common for insurance companies, and in many cases, it’s just because the insurance adjuster has too much to do. They may be juggling hundreds of accident claims, and there simply isn’t enough time in the day to get back to everyone.
It is a Common Delay Tactic
However, there are situations where they aren’t ignoring you because of an overloaded schedule or missed call. In some cases, it is intentional. If they make you a settlement offer and you decline it, you may feel like you have the upper hand. Their next move is to make you feel like they have the upper hand.
The longer you wait for a call back, the more desperate you’ll feel. You might think you’ve lost your only chance at a settlement, which is pretty scary when your medical bills start coming in and you have no car to drive. If they let you wait a while, they might then swoop back in with the same offer or an even lower offer, knowing that you are likely to accept it.
On top of this, many insurance adjusters simply don’t feel like time is of the essence, Not much happens to them if they wait on your claim. In most cases, victims slowly give up or just reach out to their own insurance company, which may limit the other company’s liability.
They know that most victims don’t want to hire an attorney because they’re afraid of the time or cost involved. You may even notice this in your first call. Many adjusters make an offer and are quick to tell you that you won’t get a penny more if you hire an attorney, and in fact, you’ll lose money to attorney’s fees. This is why it’s important to do your own research and not take legal advice from someone on the opposing side.
Don’t Expect Too Much
How can you avoid this? First, don’t expect too much from an insurance adjuster. If they are from the other party’s insurance company, you aren’t their client and you aren’t their priority. While you might occasionally get lucky with an insurance adjuster that is efficient and responsive, it’s better to expect to wait.
Turn Your Attention to a Personal Injury Attorney
Your next step, then, is to find someone that does make you their priority. This would definitely not be your insurance company, and if you want to get to the heart of the matter, the best thing to do is reach out to a personal injury attorney in your area.
A seasoned personal injury attorney knows how insurance companies manipulate accident victims to limit their own liability, and they’ll help you avoid falling into these traps. They also know how insurance adjusters downplay victims’ injuries, shift blame, and otherwise try to make victims feel like they don’t really deserve any compensation.
Your attorney will cut through all of the manipulation and help you understand what your case is worth and what you are likely to get. They will also take over negotiations, so you don’t have to have ongoing contact with the other party’s insurance provider. This frees up time for you to recover from your injuries.
Find Out How Peake & Fowler Can Help
At Peake & Fowler, we are committed to helping every client get the compensation they deserve. Insurance companies don’t make it easy, but we are more than ready for whatever plans they have. If you’re ready to move forward with your claim, contact us online or call our team at 803-788-4370.
