7 secrets an insurance adjuster won't tell you

This article was written for our sponsor, Whitley Law Firm.

If you, a family member, or a friend has been injured in an accident, you can bet that a call from an insurance adjuster is right around the corner. To get ready for the inevitable conversations you will have, here are seven secrets you should know to prepare you for your future discussions.

A quick payout isn't always the best option

If the accident was another person's fault, an insurance adjuster might offer you a quick payout that covers your medical bills and lost wages. However, a quick settlement isn't always your best option.

You may be entitled, by law, to money for your pain and suffering and changes in your lifestyle. The insurance adjuster may also want you to sign a liability release, but by doing so, you could lose your rights to benefits from other types of insurance; depending on your situation, you could receive benefits from more than one policy.

Though it may be tempting to get fast cash, it's important to weigh all your options to gain a big picture view. Legal advocates can help you comb through the intricacies of insurance.

A "fair" settlement means fair for the insurance company — not you

Insurance adjusters will more than likely claim that they are offering you a fair settlement. While not untrue, what they mean is fair from their perspective as the insurance company.

The job of an insurance adjuster is to get the lowest possible settlement, whether that adequately covers your injury expenses or not.

Because a fair settlement depends on several different factors, it's best to hire an injury attorney who will fight for what is fair for you — the injured.

You don't have to wait for the insurer's offer before calling an attorney

An insurance adjuster may ask that you wait for their offer before calling an attorney. While you certainly have that right, you may lose out on valuable information that a lawyer could provide in the meantime.

Settlements handled without an attorney are also cheaper for insurance companies, and they’re likely to dissuade you from involving legal representation for that reason.

It's best to hire an attorney

An insurance company will want to take recorded statements from you and the other parties involved in the accident within days of the accident happening, and having a legal advocate in your back pocket could ensure that you don’t say or do anything that could compromise your potential benefits.

A legal advocate can point out rights you may be entitled to that an insurance company may glaze over as they aren't legally obligated to disclose every benefit you may qualify for.

An attorney safeguards your interests, while the insurance adjusters have its company's interests in mind.

If family or friends are at fault, you don’t have to cause them financial hardship

If a loved one contributed to or caused your accident, you may be hesitant to seek reparations for fear that you will cause your family member or friend financial hardship. You can still receive your entitled benefits without doing so because the claim you make can be made against the insurance company.

Insurance attorneys can help you through this process.

An accident or injury lawyer isn’t necessary if you have a family law attorney

While chicken nuggets may be on the menu at a Mexican restaurant, you don’t go there for nuggets — you go there for tacos.

To draw a parallel, the same can be said when choosing an attorney. You should hire a lawyer that works cases that correlate to your specific situation.

Accident, injury and insurance lawyers deal with insurance companies and adjusters on a routine basis and have experience getting clients their entitled benefits after they’ve been in an accident.

"At Whitley Law Firm, our insurance lawyers work daily with numerous insurance companies, and keep current with the specialized laws and regulations affecting accident cases," said Bob Whitley, lawyer and founder of Whitley Law Firm in Raleigh. "We have a substantial amount of experience and only handle cases like yours. We also treat clients like people — not just another case file."

Your case will more than likely, not go to trial

Most insurance cases are settled without going to trial — less than five percent actually make it to court. Cases can also be resolved through mediation (both parties meeting with a neutral third-party to settle the case), which can be a more amicable process.

Whitley's advice is to always consult a lawyer when dealing with insurance adjusters.

"If you don't ask anyone, and you rely on what that adjuster is telling you your case is worth, you're relying on the very company that's going to be paying you the money," he said. "Before you decide to accept that amount, you need another opinion from someone who doesn't have a vested interest in the outcome."

This article was written for our sponsor, Whitley Law Firm.