How To Deal With Oregon Car Accident Adjusters

Posted on December 11, 2020 in Car Accident

Getting involved in a car accident can be a confusing and scary experience. However, vehicle accidents happen all the time in Oregon, and it is crucial that you understand how to deal with car accident insurance adjusters in the aftermath. First and foremost, you need to understand that no insurance carrier wants to payout compensation for a claim. This is true whether or not we are talking about your insurance carrier or the insurance carrier of another driver involved. Insurance claims adjusters have one goal in mind – to limit the amount of money the insurance carrier settles your claim for. Here, we want to discuss how you should deal with insurance adjusters after your Oregon car accident.

The insurance adjuster for the other driver

You can be sure that you will receive a phone call from an insurance adjuster for the other driver(s) involved in the accident. If another driver caused your accident and injuries, their insurance claims adjuster will conduct a thorough investigation before making any determination about a settlement amount. You need to remember that they are on the opposite side. They are your adversary. They do not want to compensate you for your losses, and they will use various tactics in an effort to limit the amount of money paid out in a settlement.

• Do not give a recorded statement. You do not have to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance claims adjuster. Anything you say to the adjuster that is recorded can and most certainly will be used against you. If you say anything in a recorded statement that deviates from previous statements about the incident, this could be used to justify delaying or denying your claim altogether.
• Do not completely sign over your medical records. You should never sign a medical release authorization form for all of your records. Insurance claims adjusters will look back at your complete medical history, and if you have any prior injuries that could explain your current pain and suffering, they could use this information to deny your claim or pay you less money.
• Be careful what you post online. Anything you post online about your accident will likely be found and could be used against you. This includes posts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or a blog. If you are claiming a severe injury to your leg and make a post about going hiking soon after the accident occurs, you can see how this could be problematic.

Your insurance adjuster

You still need to be careful even when you are talking to the insurance claims adjuster from your own insurance carrier. In Oregon, all drivers are required to carry a specific type of no-fault insurance called personal injury protection (PIP). This coverage provides compensation for medical bills, domestic services, disability, and child care benefits, depending on the severity of your injury.

Just because this insurance claims adjuster may work for your insurance carrier, this does not mean that they are enthusiastic about paying out compensation for your PIP claim. You still need to be guarded with what you say to your insurance claims adjuster and follow the same guidelines mentioned above. You do need to reasonably cooperate with your insurance carrier, as intentionally withholding information could seriously jeopardize your claim. However, just because your insurance carrier may have the right to get your statement and pertinent medical records does not give them the right to harass or abuse you in any way throughout the claims process.

Refer adjusters to your attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident caused by another driver, you should seek assistance from a Portland car accident lawyer as soon as possible. When you work with an attorney, you are well within your rights to refer any claims adjusters to your own attorney if they need statements or documentation.