If you’ve recently been in a car crash or slip-and-fall accident, you are likely dealing with vehicle repairs, mounting medical bills, and physical pain from your injury. Soon after the incident, you will receive a call from an insurance adjuster. While they may sound empathetic and friendly, it’s important to remember that they work for the insurance company and have their best interests in mind, not yours. They are looking to settle your claim for the lowest amount possible to protect their company’s bottom line. Being aware of common insurance adjuster tactics in RI can protect your right to fair compensation.
Recorded Statements and Pitfalls
One of the very first things an adjuster will ask for is a recorded statement. They often frame this as a routine, mandatory step to process your claim faster.
Here’s the issue: You are under no legal obligation to give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Adjusters are highly trained to ask leading questions designed to get you to inadvertently admit fault, minimize your injuries, or create inconsistencies. For example, if you say you are “okay”, they can use these words later to challenge your credibility or downplay your injuries.
Be sure to decline being recorded. Stick to the facts and don’t answer any questions without consulting your personal injury lawyer in Coventry, RI.
Quick Settlement Offers
It is incredibly common to receive a settlement offer within just days or weeks of your accident, long before you even know the full extent of your injuries. The adjuster might try to offer quick cash to cover your immediate expenses, implying it’s the best offer you will get.
If you accept an early, lowball offer, you are taking a risk. In Rhode Island, once you sign a settlement release form, you permanently waive your right to pursue further compensation. If you discover next month that your back pain requires surgery or extensive physical therapy, you will have to pay for those medical costs entirely out of pocket. This is why you never want to accept a settlement until you have finished your medical treatment and your doctors have determined your long-term prognosis.
Disputing Medical Treatment
To reduce the payout on your claim, insurance adjusters frequently attempt to dispute your medical care. They might look at your medical records and claim that you received treatment, that your diagnostic tests weren’t necessary, or that your treatment costs don’t align with the minor damage to the vehicles.
Blaming your pain on a pre-existing condition is also among the insurance adjuster tactics in Rhode Island that you need to be aware of. They will argue that the accident didn’t cause your current physical problems.
Always seek immediate medical attention after an accident and follow your doctor’s treatment plan. Any gaps in medical care will give the adjuster an excuse to claim you weren’t actually hurt. A car accident lawyer in Providence, RI, will also advise you to keep track of all medical visits so you have a record of your care.
When to Call an Attorney
Navigating the claims process while trying to recover physically can feel overwhelming. You should consider calling a Rhode Island personal injury attorney if the insurance adjuster is pressuring you to sign documents, accept a fast settlement, or provide a recorded statement.
You should also call an attorney if you are missing work due to your injuries or if the insurance company denies liability or claims you were primarily at fault. Rhode Island follows a pure comparative negligence rule, meaning you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault. But the adjuster may try to inflate your percentage of fault to artificially lower your payout.
Under Rhode Island General Laws, the standard statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is three years from the date of the accident. Waiting too long can permanently forfeit your right to seek damages.
An experienced local attorney can step in, take over all communication with the adjuster, and fight to ensure you receive the full compensation you deserve. Contact the team at Inman & Tourgee today to learn how we can help you. Contact us online to schedule a consultation.
