When You Disagree: How to Deal With Insurance Adjuster After Car Accident

After a car accident, dealing with insurance adjusters who don’t see eye-to-eye with you can feel like your own personal nightmare. You expect they’ll evaluate everything fairly and make things right, per your policy. But all too often, their initial settlement offers fall short of properly compensating you.

Don’t go through this alone. Insurance companies are heavily incentivized to minimize payouts at every turn. Here’s how to advocate for the full compensation deservedly owed.

Understanding the Role of Insurance Adjusters and Appraisers

Despite seeming like they are there to help facilitate your claim, they are actually employed by insurance carriers to protect the company’s bottom line.

Insurance adjusters investigate accidents, assess liability, estimate vehicle damages, and calculate that first settlement figure. They work with insurance appraisers, the ones inspecting your damaged vehicle and providing repair estimates.

From years of experience, we’ve witnessed insurance companies routinely utilize underhanded tactics to downplay legitimate claims – bypassing procedures, overlooking details, and heavy-handedly pushing lowballed offers out of claimant frustration. Rhode Island has laws regulating these practices, but they often get ignored by profit-focused insurance giants.

When It’s Worth Disagreeing with the Adjuster’s Evaluation

Based on our case history, there are several areas where adjuster assessments tend to miss the mark:

• Undervaluing Vehicle Damage – Their appraisals somehow calculate repair estimates lower than even the most affordable mechanics.
• Ignoring Diminished Vehicle Value – That near-totaled car is worth far less than before, even with repairs done.
• Excluding Related Damages – They “forget” about rental fees, towing charges, and other costs you incurred.
• Disputing Liability – They may still try pinning partial blame on you, even for accidents where you clearly weren’t at fault.

Shortcomings like these force you to pay out-of-pocket expenses an accepted settlement should’ve covered – an unacceptable outcome after faithfully paying premiums.

Understanding Insurance Company Motivations

Here’s the cold hard truth: As for-profit companies, insurance carriers are driven by shareholder value – not looking out for your best interests. They have a vested incentive to minimize claim payouts as much as possible to maximize profits.

Their standard operating procedure is often to “delay, deny, and defend” any legitimate claims for as long as possible. They’ll drag out processes, dismiss reasonable documentation, and put up an aggressive defense – counting on your frustration to eventually give up and accept an insulting lowball offer.

It’s critical to keep their inherent profit motives in mind when dealing with these corporate entities, not the “friendly” provider you assume they are. Knowing who you’re really up against is paramount when advocating for yourself.

Steps to Take When Disputing the Adjuster’s Offer

When that first offer seems completely divorced from reality, your first instinct may be outrage and anger. But responding emotionally will only feed into their “difficult claimant” narrative – something they’re trained to overcome.

Instead, build an impartial case documenting precisely why you’re rejecting their assessment. Gather evidence that substantiates your position on inaccurate valuations/costs and liability disputes:

• Repair estimates from reputable mechanics
• Receipts/documentation of damages not accounted for
• Police report supporting your version of fault
• Diminished value appraisals on your vehicle post-accident

Draft a formal letter or response calmly outlining your objections point-by-point, backing each issue up with this evidence. Demonstrate reasonableness and a willingness to negotiate, but don’t be bullied.

When to Involve a Car Accident Lawyer

Even with ample documentation, you may decide the uphill battle is futile without professional legal representation. This is absolutely the right time to involve an experienced car accident attorney.

Statistics show that claimants represented by lawyers recover settlements averaging 3-4 times higher compared to those going it alone. Attorneys understand how to effectively apply leverage and credibly reinforce the prospect of taking your case to trial if the insurer remains unreasonable.

In Rhode Island, you can work with reputable car accident firms on a contingency fee basis – meaning you Don’t pay legal fees until/unless your case gets favorably resolved. Minimizing upfront costs for top-tier representation.

Protecting Your Rights and Obtaining Fair Compensation

Whether attempting initial negotiations yourself or lawyering up, be cognizant of key deadlines and statutes in Rhode Island:

• You generally have three years from the accident date to file a lawsuit for damages
• Claims against government entities require a 60-day notice of your intent to file a lawsuit

Document every communication and action taken on your part. This record prevents any unethical “re-writing of history” by insurance companies down the road.

Above all else – don’t give up. Insurers are masters at delaying, obfuscating, and pushing lowballs…counting on your resignation to accept an insulting fraction of what you legitimately deserve. Don’t fall for it. Your unwavering advocacy may be the difference in reaching a fair outcome.

Your Trustworthy Allies in Settlement Battles

While advocating for yourself is admirable, dealing with insurance company intransigence after an accident only compounds your trauma. You’ve suffered enough without facing extra adversaries misaligned with your interests.

At Louis W. Grande Injury Lawyer, our team has the skill, experience, and determination to take on car insurance company obstacles when you simply cannot make any more headway alone. We understand all the bad-faith tactics in their playbook and how to dismantle them.

Consider us your supporters in this fight – advocating firmly yet professionally to cut through denials and lowball offers, revealing paths towards the full compensation you deserve. We’re only successful when we receive justice.

Call now, and let’s explore how our legal experience can definitively resolve your auto accident settlement struggles. You’ve been through enough – asking for our help may be your fastest path toward relief.