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Whether you were seriously hurt in your wreck or just sustained a bit of damage to your car, the aftermath of every car crash will involve at least one conversation with an insurance adjuster. When this conversation happens, the adjuster will be looking for an explanation of how the accident happened and what you’ve suffered as a result—but they’ll also be looking for evidence that could get their employer off the hook for your crash-related losses.

You should always be careful during these conversations and get help from a skilled car accident lawyer before having too many of them. In the meantime, here are some tips for talking to an insurance adjuster after a car accident that may help you get all the compensation you need for your damages.

Remember Who the Adjuster Works For

Insurance adjusters are trained to be polite, friendly, and sympathetic to the crash victims they speak with, and your adjuster will likely try to get you to speak with them as if they’re a close friend just checking on how you’re doing. Never forget that the person on the other end of the phone is an employee of an insurance company, and every insurance company’s main goal is to collect as many premiums as possible while minimizing how much money they have to pay out for claims.

Be Honest But Not Generous

You should not lie to an insurance adjuster or try to fudge the details to make things look better for you. Giving them anything but the honest truth about what happened and how badly you were hurt could give them a perfect excuse to deny your claim altogether. At the same time, you should only give short answers to questions you were directly asked and should not offer any guesses about what happened or accept liability for any part of the wreck. Either of those things could weaken your claim for compensation later on.

Take Down Notes and Contact Information

The insurance adjuster may also ask for your permission to record their call with you, and it’s very important for you to know that you’re not under any legal obligation to agree to that. Instead, you should make sure you get contact information for the adjuster you’re speaking with well before the call ends and write that information down along with notes during the call about what you talked about and what answers you gave to specific questions.

Be Careful About Initial Settlement Offers

Finally, it’s not uncommon for insurance adjusters to offer settlements to car accident victims after just a single phone call. It can be tempting to take the quick payout when you’re dealing with unexpected medical expenses and car repair bills. However, this initial settlement offer is almost always a lowball offer designed to get you to close your claim without getting anywhere near the money you deserve.

An experienced car accident attorney can help you examine any offer you receive, phrase answers to questions in ways that benefit you, and give you the best chance possible of getting paid fairly for the harm you’ve suffered. Call today to discuss your unique situation.