Dealing with the claims process is often the last thing that people want to do when recovering from an accident. Whether you’ve just been in a car crash or you have suffered a slip and fall or falling object injury, focusing on getting well should always be your top priority. Filing and pursuing a claim is both time-consuming and stressful. Unfortunately, your stress can be further compounded by having to speak with insurance adjusters who are both forceful and rude. The good news is that there are four ways to combat rude adjusters without harming your case or being pressured into a hasty settlement decision.

1. Recognize That You’re Likely on the Right Path

The overarching goal of every insurance adjuster is to get claimants to accept the lowest possible settlement amounts, or to find ways to issue no settlements at all. They do this by coaxing injury victims into making statements that undermine their claims, or by pressuring them to settle too soon. 

One of the top tactics employed to this end is to maintain a friendly and personable disposition. After all, it’s much easier to get someone to say what you want them to when they’re relaxed and completely at ease.

When insurance adjusters become forceful and rude, this usually means that their initial approach of friendliness hasn’t worked. Recognize that you’re likely on the right path and continue to:

• Carefully guard you speech
• Avoid making statements about your health
• Avoid making any admission of fault
• Deny requests to make recorded statements

No matter how much pressure an insurance adjuster applies, you never want to settle before the time is right. You have the right to receive all of the medical care you require, including treatments from secondary providers of alternative medicine like chiropractors and acupuncturists. 

Settling too soon could leave you with an insufficient amount of money for covering your total medical costs and lost wages, as well as insufficient compensation for your true measure of pain and suffering.

2. Report Rude Adjusters

You are in no way required to deal with a rude insurance adjuster. Firmly set your boundaries and do your best to maintain a calm disposition. Do not respond to insulting behavior with insults of your own. Instead, ask for the adjuster’s full name and identification number if available, then report this person to their supervisor. 

If a rude adjuster is unwilling to share the name of their supervisor, record the date and time of this refusal. You can always get in touch with management personnel by calling the main number of the insurance company and asking to be transferred to the complaint department. If you feel as though it’s necessary, let everyone you speak with know that you will be recording all further conservations.

3. Only Take Phone Calls When You’re Ready

Just as you aren’t required to deal with rude adjusters, you aren’t obligated to always answer the phone right away. You don’t have to take calls from an insurance company until you’re absolutely ready to. 

These entities know that accident victims are often weak, tired, and dealing with the discomfort of their injuries. They also know that many people are under the influence of over-the-counter or prescribed pain medications. More importantly, if you let them, they will use this fact to their advantage.

It is important to avoid taking phone calls from insurance adjusters while taking pain medications. If you feel even slightly out of sorts, you may have a diminished ability to guard what you say. Return phone calls at a time that is convenient for you, and when you’re clear, focused, and ready for conversation.

4. Bypass Conversations With Adjusters Entirely by Hiring a Lawyer

One of the best ways to avoid conversations with rude insurance adjusters is by hiring a lawyer. You can book a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer to start this process. Once you’ve obtained legal representation, all verbal and written communication will go through the attorney that you’ve hired. 

Not only will this decision eliminate the stress and hassle of dealing with adjusters who are unnecessarily pushy and unkind, but it will additionally ensure that you’re never in danger of making statements that might harm your case.

If you’ve had the unfortunate experience of dealing with a rude adjuster, be sure to pass this information on to your lawyer. Share any recordings of conversations that you’ve made, details of refusals to identify supervisors, and notes regarding how the problem was remedied. 

Depending upon the magnitude and severity of the abuse that you’ve been subjected to, these unpleasant dealings may be accounted for in the pain and suffering portion of your settlement.

Dealing with the aftermath of any accident or injury event is difficult all on its own. Having to speak with an insurance adjuster who’s forceful and rude only makes the recovery process more stressful. With the four strategies above, you can put unacceptable behavior on the part of adjusters to a swift end.