Coping with injuries after a car accident is not easy. To make matters worse, insurers that you trust may be far from worthy of that trust. Read on and learn why something as simple as a phone call could ruin your accident claim before you've had time to heal completely.

Who is Calling You?

Your own insurer will need to be notified of the accident as soon as possible, regardless of who was at fault. However, if the accident was caused by the other driver, a phone call is probably coming your way. Accident victims are owed compensation and the other driver's insurer knows it. They are calling to allegedly learn more about the accident so that they can extend an offer to you. Unfortunately, that is only part of the reason for the call.

They Want to Talk About the Accident

They are usually polite, sympathetic, and convincing. Accident adjusters are employed by insurance companies to keep them from paying victims too much money. To that end, they may get you to accept the call by explaining that they need a bit more information about the wreck, your injuries, and your medical condition. These are very personal things, but many victims believe they have no choice but to speak with them. If you are the victim of a careless driver, know this – you are under no obligation to speak to the insurer for the other side – none at all.

What Could Go Wrong?

The adjuster's friendly and sympathetic manner could have you saying all sorts of things you never intended to say. For instance, you might end up expressing sorrow for the accident and worry about the other driver. You might be uncertain about your speed or the road conditions that day. You could be overly optimistic about your medical prognosis. None of those things should be problematic but you are talking to an adversarial party who could potentially use your words against you so they can pay you less.

Don't Take That Offer

Even accident victims that refuse to discuss the accident (as they should) may fall for the offer of a big check to cover their damages. The problem is that the check is usually not as big as it could be. Many victims without legal support have no idea of how much they should be paid. That is why a check for $100,000 might sound awesome until they realize that they will need at least twice that to cover their medical bills, lost wages from work, the vehicles repair, and pain and suffering.

Let a personal injury lawyer deal with the other side for you. That way, you won't have to risk an error that could ruin your case.