Insurance adjusters aren’t your friend. They aim to get you to settle fast and accept the lowest offer to save the insurance company money.
If you get in a car accident and report it to your insurance company, they will generally send an adjuster to evaluate the case and assess the value of your damages. The adjuster will typically act as if they are on your side – they are friendly and empathetic, they will listen to you and seem like they are really trying to help you. They are not. Their purpose is to get you to settle fast and accept the lowest offer to save the insurance company money.
"Of all the lawyers I have met, this one is a true professional. This attorney goes against the biggest law firms and wins!"
Response from the owner:The compliment is much appreciated. Like every profession, it all starts with training our lawyers to be the best at every aspect of car accident cases. But the foundation of a great case is a great client. Thanks!
I'd say this lawyer is in the top three of the best you'll ever see. Add this attorney to the interview list if you ever get in an automobile accident. This Law Firm is on another level.
Response from the owner:Much appreciated. Techniques that an attorney or any professional uses are paramount for success. This is part of our lawyers training and preparation. It leads to success. Thank you!
People say this is the best car accident lawyer in St.Louis. Yep! Seeing this attorney in action is incredible.
Response from the owner:Great compliment. We work hard to be the best. Our lawyers also work very hard to help other lawyers in our profession. Not matter what, a cases is only as good as the client is. Thanks!
Response from the owner:Thanks! Referrals and recommendations from prior car accident clients is our #1 source of cases. People who grew to trust us send family and friends.
The Hoffman law firm is truly professional. After hiring them I was truly relieved and knew I was in good hands. Highly recommend!
Response from the owner:Being in good hands is important. Many lawyers take cases with little experience and little resources. Our firm specialized decades ago. We are focused exclusively on accident cases.
The lawyers on tv just dont compare for auto accident injury cases. Mr.Hoffmann is as good as they get.
Response from the owner:Thank you. The TV attorneys are just settlement mills. People are hiring a paralegal, not a lawyer. Our law firm is different. You are represented by an attorney and we do not have settlement quotas.
I would describe this lawyer as highly educated, sharp, and top of his game. Explains the car accident process and treatment options well. The lawyer said if they don’t pay you, we will have the jury take it from the insurance company. Great lawyer. Dynamic person.
Interviewed all the TV car accident lawyers and decided to call this law firm that had great reviews. So happy I did. What a difference!
Response from the owner:TV car accident lawyers are just mass production. This is not a good fit for litigated cases. Paralegals instead of lawyers. Monthly quotas for settlements. Car accident victims end up in a cattle call with the lawyers on TV.
Love my car accident lawyer. This law firm is a step above.
Response from the owner:Our lawyers train and track the best approaches on cases. Whether litigation in cases or the practicalities of certain treatment, the growth of our lawyers over time is paramount. Always staying ahead of and setting practice trends. Thank you.
Serious family member have a car accident injury? Look no further. This litigator is for real. Always two steps ahead of the other lawyer.
Response from the owner:This is a sad reality for car accident lawyers. The #1 passenger in an auto accident is a relative. Helping a family make it through this and putting the family back together is one of the most rewarding things I do as an automobile accident attorney.
This lawyer handles really big accident cases in St Louis. He is a lawyer, accountant and has his masters in tax so he gets the injury cases for individuals that can never go back to work or individuals own a business and cannot run it due to injury. He specializes in valuations of massive loss. Thank goodness a firm like this exists.
Response from the owner:Thank you. When accident are severe and you lose the ability to work or to continue a business, having an accounting and tax background is key. Valuing large losses are second nature for us.
Asked a trauma surgeon who operates on car accident victims who are the best injury lawyers that have taken his deposition. He said “by far” it was Mr Hoffmann. Interviewed several attorneys and this was a correct assessment. In a league of his own!
Response from the owner:Our attorney have deposed nearly all the trauma surgeons at every Level 1 Trauma Center in Saint Louis. These doctors save lives after a car accident. Whether controlling bleeding or reestablishing blood flow or bone structures, they are life savers.
Few lawyers in St. Louis can handle the biggest injury cases! This is one of them!
Response from the owner:Our law firm has made great efforts in terms of training to handle life changing injury cases. Whether in depth knowledge of the medical, loss of income and earning capacity, or lifetime medical care plans, our clients feel confident and know their case is in good hands. Thank you for the compliment.
Cannot say enough about this lawyer. Call if in an accident. This attorney handles the biggest car accidents in St Louis.
Response from the owner:Thanks Ash! Our biggest source of cases is our clients. Our second biggest referral source is defense lawyers telling their relatives to call us. Few lawyers can handle the largest cases. Our law firm welcomes and has trained for this. We don’t do mass production settlement like the lawyers on TV. Our clients can never go back to work. Their cases need massive focus and effort and often long fought litigation.
So glad I called attorney Hoffmann. This time I got it right! So glad I hired the Hoffmann Law Firm - professional, reliable and available.
Response from the owner:Thanks Taylor. Our lawyers answer the phone day, night, weekends and even during lunch. Being professional means training to beat the best defense lawyers. Client rely on us to get results and we do.
Great lawyer. Cares about his clients, knows his stuff and goes the extra mile. I recommend this lawyer for car wreck injury claim. Every other lawyer on TV would not even help with my property claim. This attorney did.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words. Every case starts with a great client. You are correct the car accident lawyers on TV are mass production settlement mills. When injury clients fire them, we get their files and the cases are not worked up at all. Appreciate your confidence in us!
Major car accident injury in St Louis area for a family member. Four different lawyers we know said the same thing - call Chris Hoffmann. On another level.
Response from the owner:This is such a great compliment. Most of our cases come from prior client or lawyers that also do car accidents cases but the particular case is too large or too difficult. Being a lawyer and an accountant, we specialize in cases with total lost of income, earning capacity and/or often the inability to continue a family business. Evaluations such as these are second nature for our lawyers. Thanks.
This attorney is very smart, very experienced, returns phone calls and knows the answers when asked. One call and I knew this was a great law firm for auto accidents.
Response from the owner:Our law firm appreciates this. This is a comment we get from so many people who call…”none of the lawyers we called told me all the things that you did.” Whether we take a car accident case or not, helping people is a good thing.
5 Star Lawyer for sure! Best you will find in Saint Louis.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the 5 Star Rating. Reviews like this are great. Injury victims quickly figure out the TV advertisers are not good. We work hard at being the best we can be and it reflects in our representation of car accident victims.
Watch this lawyer in action. Was way better than all the others. Get this lawyer for an automobile accident for sure.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the recommendation. Besides doing cases, our attorneys train for this. Hard work, case knowledge and technique is key to success in car accident litigation.
Very pleased with The Hoffmann Law Firm. Lawyers are attentive, friendly and go the distance to force the settlement you want. The TV lawyers recommend low offers. This law firm gets the maximum.
Response from the owner:We get calls from car accident victims that had to fire the TV lawyers that they hired. They give the same two reasons: 1) they never spoke to a lawyer at the Big TV law firms, only a paralegal, and 2) the paralegal recommended they accept a low offer.
At our law firm, you only talk to the lawyer and if an offer is low we tell you to sue. Thanks!
Several lawyers said to call this lawyer because he is the best. You will appreciate this law firm. Helped with the injury and property claims. Attentive and knowledgeable. Great reputation in St Louis.
Response from the owner:Thanks Lexi. Our #1 source of cases is other lawyers referring us cases that are too big for them to handle.
Would use this accident law firm. Best in Saint Louis. Highly rated and it shows. After one phone call, you just know this attorney is better. 5 Stars!!
Response from the owner:Thanks for recommending our lawyers in St Louis. There is a major difference in lawyers as you well know.
Car accident lawyers on tv are not good . Get this attorney ! He is a pro !!
Response from the owner:Thanks Nathan. TV lawyers market for car accidents, use paralegals instead of lawyers and give their employees settlement quotas hence forcing cheap settlements. At our law firm, you get a lawyer who keeps pushing forward for more.
Quality lawyer. Best law firm for a car accident. Advice was way better than other lawyers I called in St. Louis. Helped with property and injury.
Response from the owner:Thanks. The TV lawyer advertisers are just car accident settlement mills. As soon as people call a real attorney, they always tell us how much better and more helpful we were. Appreciate this.
This lawyer is big time. Smooth. The other lawyers on the other side were not nearly as good as this attorney. I recommend friends in St Louis to him for accident injuries and they all say the same thing…”that lawyer is great.”
Response from the owner:Very nice of you to say. Our lawyers work hard on auto accident cases.
Family used this car accident attorney after a crash. Located in St Louis. This lawyer answers the phone and will walk you through the process. Knows his stuff!
Response from the owner:Taking calls, going over the car accident injury and property process is important. Clients that call always say we are the only lawyers that explained everything. Much appreciated.
Tried the lawyers on TV. They were not good. Hired this car accident lawyer instead because he had great reviews. The reviews are correct. This attorney is as good as they get. He does big injury cases that need to be litigated.
Response from the owner:Car accident lawyers on TV do not litigate cases. It is mass production. They have quotas. Local attorneys are best on auto accidents.
Used this attorney for an auto accident. Highly recommend this lawyer in St. Louis. Communicates well.
Response from the owner:Communicating with clients is essential. Taking the client though the car accident claims process is important otherwise major mistakes can occur. It is an effort that we make. Thanks!
Fantastic law firm, I would recommend! Received free consultation related to an auto accident when my parked car was damaged by a baseball. Very supportive advice, these guys are good!
While talking with an insurance adjuster you might get the impression that the settlement offer comes with an expiration date and that you need to make a decision as soon as possible. While you won’t have forever to file your claim (the statute of limitations in Missouri is three years after the accident,) you don’t have to file within weeks either. Talking with a St. Louis auto accident lawyer will help you understand that you don’t need to settle the claim as quickly as the insurance company insinuates.
Communication Is Difficult
Insurance adjusters may be handling over 100 cases at a time, so the heavy workload may prevent them from communicating effectively with you. However, dodging your phone calls may also be a strategic move. The adjuster hopes that you will get frustrated with the lack of communication and eventually settle. They could even send you a check in the mail, making you believe that this is the maximum amount that you could get and prompt you to close your claim.
They Will Deny Your Claim
You can expect to receive a ridiculous settlement offer from the insurance company. They know it’s less than what your claim it’s worth, but they are hoping that victims will take it either way since they are probably in need of money to pay for medical bills and other costs. Some companies may also deny your claim even though what you are asking for is valid and backed up by medical and police reports. They have an entire team to delay and intimidate you, but with a good lawyer on your side, you can fight back.
They Will Try to Make You to Admit Fault
It doesn’t matter if the accident was completely the other driver’s fault, the insurance adjuster will try to make you admit that you carry part of the blame too. They may ask questions such as: “What do you think you could have done to prevent the accident?” Keep in mind that you don’t have to answer any of these questions (although they will most likely make you think otherwise) and always have your lawyer by your side when discussing with insurance adjusters.
Using Trick Questions
Insurance adjusters seem to have a way of making people feel comfortable and as if they care. But make no mistake; most insurance adjusters are not your friend. Their primary goal is to settle your claim for as little money as possible. Another tactic adjusters may use is asking trick questions. These questions may seem innocuous, but they can damage your claim. If you’ve been in a car accident and are dealing with an insurance adjuster, watch out for the following trick questions.
“Can I Record This Conversation?”
While this might seem like an innocent question, here’s why you should generally say no:
The adjuster could use the recording to try to twist your words and use them against you. For example, if you say something like “I’m not sure what happened,” the adjuster could use this statement to argue that you’re not being clear about what happened in the accident.
The recording could be used to catch you off guard and get you to say something you didn’t mean to say. For example, if the adjuster asks you a leading question and you respond without thinking, that response could be used against you later on.
Recordings can be edited or taken out of context, which could further damage your claim. If the adjuster edits the recording or takes your words out of context, it could make it look like you’re not being truthful about what happened in the accident.
“Most People Would Have Seen That Car Coming, Wouldn’t You Agree?”
This is another seemingly simple question, but it’s loaded with assumptions. What if there was something obstructing your view of oncoming traffic? Or what if the other driver was speeding and came out of nowhere? By agreeing with the insurance adjuster’s statement, you could be giving up key evidence that would help your case.
“So, You Didn’t Go to the Hospital Until the Next Day?”
This question is designed to trip you up with timelines. Many insurers will try to use delays in seeking medical treatment as proof that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim them to be. So even if there was a legitimate reason for the delay (e.g., you couldn’t get an appointment until the next day), it’s best not to discuss it with the insurance adjuster. Instead, let your attorney handle all communications with the insurer.
“How Fast Were You Going When the Accident Happened?”
This question is designed to establish fault. If you were speeding, the adjuster may try to use that to reduce or eliminate your claim. Even if you weren’t speeding, it’s best to avoid answering this question. The police report will have information on speed, so you don’t need to provide it.
Asking trick questions is one way insurance adjusters try to minimize payouts on claims. If you’ve been in an accident, it’s important to be aware of their tactics and take steps to protect your claim.
Insurance Adjusters Are Not Your Friend
If there is one thing you should remember after reading this article is that insurance adjusters aren’t your friend. Their purpose is to save their company money and they will do it at your expense. To gain more than even footing with the insurance company, get in touch with an experienced car crash lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. If you’ve been involved in an accident in or around St. Louis, MO give us a call 24/7 for FREE legal advice.
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Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!
