If you have been in a car accident or hit by an 18-wheeler or other large truck, your world may have turned upside down. Although there are many ways to prepare ahead of time to lessen the inconveniences and details that must be attended to later, there is little anyone can do to prepare themselves for the trauma of being slammed into by another vehicle on the highway, or even a neighborhood street. Undeniably, a crash can be one of the most dangerous and traumatic experiences you ever are forced to endure.
With all of that in mind, insurance companies do their best to lure you into buying their products with promises of being there for you, protecting your finances and your property, and offering customer service to beat out every other insurer in the US. All of the hoopla and promises may fall away quickly once you file a substantial claim though, which can be extremely disturbing—but all too common.
It is frightening also to have an insurer turn against you, as you may be relying on their promises to carry you through in times of incredible financial need after property damage and perhaps severe physical injuries too. It may quickly become obvious after filing a claim that in no way are these people your friends, and they are wealthy for a reason—they like to keep all their money in the bank.
If there has been a car accident, no hat no matter how small or large, the insurer will open an investigation. This is normal, and of course they must speak to someone involved to understand the details, aside from perusing a police report. If you start to feel like you are being interrogated, however, this could be a red flag for bad faith practices gearing up. The insurer may be hoping to intimidate you, and the questions may become more intense as they attempt to trip you up and find a way to deny your claim or offer you a lowball amount.
The key is to have your attorney speak with the insurance companies from the very beginning. This is not the time to go it alone and there is no reason to! With skilled legal help behind you, the case should proceed in a much more streamlined manner—with you receiving a fair settlement, expediently.
When the adjuster calls initially, if you have not consulted with an attorney yet, this is the time to do so, letting the insurer know that you will have your attorney call them once you have spoken with them at their office. This alerts the insurance company that they will be dealing with others who are knowledgeable about the process and can be just as assertive when it comes to fighting for their client’s grades. No matter how aggressive the adjuster or insurance company representative may be with you, do not feel bad about referring them to your attorney, and do not feel bad about not answering any questions at all. That is your right!
Please call the law offices of Andrew ‘Pike’ Piekalkiewicz, PLLC as soon as possible if you have been in a car accident and injured due to the negligence of others. Attorney Sgt. Pike activates and deploys his proprietary Car Accident Response Team or C.A.R.T.™ immediately after being hired and in cases where it is appropriate, with a team of specialized personnel trained in every aspect of car wrecks and injuries deployed. Call now at (713) 748-7453 or visit AttorneySgtPike for a no-obligation case review.
