i was stopped in traffic with my foot on the brake and was rearended. both vehicles were driveable and we pulled off the road and exchanged information. no police were called. i was in a mazda mx-6 small two door vehicle and was struck by a 99 dodge ram pickup (ironic huh?). i went to get checked out by a doctor later that afternoon because my lower back started getting really tight with a dull pain. i was given some motrin and muscle relaxers, the doc said i had some muscle strain/spasms. now today my neck is feeling tight and sore. an appraiser came out today and took pics and will pass the estimate to the adjuster. i have not been offered anything yet, but is there anything i need to/or should do to make sure i get the most money i can without getting a lawyer involved?
i guess my question is geared for maybe insurance adjusters/bodily injury adjusters...is there any verbiage or statements that would give me better leverage while negotiating with the adjuster?
Answer by Sweet Lilies & Lavender
yikes
Answer by OW13
put one of those cast things around your neck so you look injured
Answer by stewiegriffin4president
Keep copies of all your medical bills, including cost for any medications you may have purchased to treat your pain. If you missed any work because of the accident, report that to the adjuster as well. Turn all this in to the adjuster for the company of the person who hit you.
Then...if you have med pay coverage on your own auto policy, you can also submit the very same bills to them and get some more money. Just make sure all the medical facilities get their money first, then the remainder is yours to keep. And you don't have to accept their first offer on pain and suffering. But the more you turn them down, the longer it takes to get anything!
I was in a similar accident scenario in February (I was stopped and was rear ended) and I did this. The other company paid for my car (it was totaled), all my medical bills, and gave me an extra grand on top of that to keep. I have now filed with my own company for med pay and I'm getting another $ 1500 from them that will be mine to keep.
And I did all of this with ease and no lawyer!! The person who hit me was insured with GMAC.
Answer by Chaparra
The adjuster is only there to look at the physical damage to ur car. Call your claims representative (u should have been assign one with ur claim, or at least a specific team extension) Let them know about the injuries u have. They will set something up with a Dr in your area that's on their servicing list (some times they let u use ur own DR) so they are billed for treatments. If its a chiro it would be set up the same way. If this person was carrying liability (which they have to by law) the legal limits are $ 10,000- $ 15,000 per person for medical payments. SO if yours exceed this then u would have to take the driver to court and u can legal go after any assets. I genuinely don't think ur trying to cheat the system, as opposed to what some of the other responders seem to be hinting. Get ur medical taken care of, that's what Insurance is there for.
Answer by UwishUknewMyName
First a note to Stewie.... You cannot submit your medical bills to a 3rd party carrier for payment and expect your insurance to pay under Med Pay as well. That is called double dipping. Your insurance carrier will want to be reimbursed for the medical bills they paid.
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Now, to answer your question.
Stewie is correct in a way. Make copies of all the medical bills and receipts for prescriptions. If you missed time from work, get a letter from your employer stating the days and hours you missed, and how much you are paid.
If you only went to the ER one time, then you are ready to submit the bills to the insurance company. If you are going for further treatment, wait til you are done, then submit everything to the insurance carrier.
Sounds like the accident just occured, and if the appraiser was just out to look at your car, give the adjuster a day or two to get the estimate and call you.
If the damages are less than a few thousand, it sounds like the impact was minor, and you can expect to receive the cost of your medical bills, plus maybe a few extra hundred for inconviences/pain and suffering.
Just remember, there is no law that states the insurance company owes you any monetary compensation for being in an accident. They are liable to cover your vehicle damages and medical costs and basically nothing else. As a gesture of good faith, they offer the pain and suffering.
Hope this helps
Answer by shjf47
You wont be negotiating with the vehicle damage adjuster regarding your medical reimbursement. You will be dealing with a medical claims person. Did you inform the adjuster that you have medical problems? If you did, someone will contact you. If you didn't, contact the insurance company and inform them. If you really have injuries, your best bet is to get an attorney.
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Orignal From: how can i maximize my compensation for a claim where i was rearended?
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