A motorcycle accident is a scary experience, whether another vehicle is involved or not. Once your injuries are treated and you are healthy enough, you need to begin the process of settling your damages with an insurance company. No matter if you are dealing with your own insurer or that of the person who caused your accident, you have to be careful. It is best to let your attorney facilitate the settlement for you. Even still, you may have to communicate with an insurer at some point though the process. The following are some tips to help you get through the process.
Say No to Recordings
When you speak to an insurer, one of the first questions they may ask is if they can record your conversation. Unless your motorcycle accident attorney is on the line with you, do not allow your conversation to be recorded. You may inadvertently say something that will negatively impact your case without realizing it. You are not legally required to have your conversations recorded, even if the company insists. If the insurer persists, simply decline to speak further and direct the call to your attorney.
Do Not Sign Anything Unless Your Attorney Is Present
Do not sign any documents unless your attorney is there with you or has told you it is okay to do so. Insurance documentation is full of legal jargon, much of which you may not completely understand. You could end up signing your rights away or agree to a settlement figure that will not cover all of your injuries and property losses.
Do Not Take the Initial Settlement Offer Without Your Attorney's Advice
The insurance company may provide you with an initial settlement figure that would seem fair. However, you should not agree to the first figure unless your attorney says it is a fair and equitable figure. Some insurers may attempt to pull you in with a lower figure than what you actually need or are entitled to. The figure may not be enough to fully compensate you for the money you are out, particularly if you are injured to the point of permanent disability.
A motorcycle accident is a traumatic experience, and you need to receive enough compensation to deal with any issues that could potentially crop up in the future. Dealing with an insurance company without legal assistance is a major mistake. Always work with an attorney when you correspond with insurance companies to ensure you receive a decent figure for your losses.
Share14 December 2018
After I was in a car accident, I wasn't sure what I was going to do in the future. I had some really significant back and neck pain, so I started talking with a lawyer about how to recover some of my losses. I began working with an attorney to take care of things, but I was nervous about how the process would unfold. I began working with the attorney to evaluate every component of the incident, and help me to decode the problems I was faced with. We worked on learning more about the lawsuit, and it helped me to make sense of the situation. Learn more about accidents on this blog.