3 Interpersonal Skills To Unlearn When Talking To Car Accident Claims Adjusters

More than the warm weather and the relatively low cost of living, the appeal of living in South Carolina is the Southern charm, the easy conversational interactions with people you meet in everyday situations.  To the annoyance of New Yorkers and the perplexity of Europeans, it is nothing unusual to see a cashier and a shopper shooting the breeze at a supermarket checkout counter as if they were old friends.  The people of South Carolina are so friendly, in fact, that it boggles the mind that they could be such inconsiderate drivers.  Of course, by the time you report the accident to the insurance company, you are back to your usual, friendly self.  It isn’t your imagination that insurance claims adjusters stand out for their charm, even by South Carolina standards, but don’t fall for the sweet talk.  Insurance claims adjusters don’t you’re your best interests in mind; they are taking a recorded statement to justify paying as little as possible, and anything you say can and will be used against you.  Resist the urge to be your delightful self, and say as little as possible.  Even better, refuse to engage at all, and ask the claims adjusters to talk to your Columbia car accident lawyer.

Accepting Responsibility in the Interest of Being Gracious

You can spot a jerk from a mile away from the way he or she starts accusing other people the minute anything goes wrong, and you are not a jerk.  As a polite person, you are more likely to accept responsibility in the interest of moving past a problem, even if someone else is to blame, at least partially.  This is a bad idea when you are giving a recorded statement for a car accident claim.  Don’t speculate about how much fault, if any, you bear.  Stick to the facts, and admit that you are not sure.  Better yet, let the photos from the scene of the accident do the talking.

Commiserating About Life’s Annoyances

Claims adjusters may try to get you to open up by pleasantly grumbling about life’s annoyances while they are ostensibly waiting for a screen to load on the office computer.  The adjuster might tell you that he is taking his kids to the county fair this weekend even though it is cheaper on weeknights because he only has parenting time on weekends, so that you will chime in with your own stories about how hard it is to co-parent with your ex-spouse.  This might not have any adverse consequences during the conversation, but the insurance company might replay the recording until they can convince themselves that you were admitting that you were driving distracted because your ex got on your nerves.

Self-Deprecating Humor About Old Age

The women of South Carolina may look ageless, but we are full of self-deprecating jokes about our creaky old bones.  Anything you say about your aches and pains sounds to the insurance company like evidence that your symptoms are the result of pre-existing medical conditions instead of the accident.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you avoid saying the wrong things to claims adjusters so you can get an adequate insurance settlement.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

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