What should I do if an Insurance Adjuster for my Slip and Fall keeps Calling me?

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident at a major retailer, it’s frustrating enough to deal with the pain and trauma from your injuries. But there’s nothing quite as infuriating as an insurance adjuster who keeps calling you, to the point where it feels like harassment.

This practice of “spamming” injury victims is very common, and we’ve heard from many claimants throughout the years, who have asked us, “What should I do? The insurance adjuster for my slip and fall keeps calling me (emailing me / texting me).”

Please know that you are not alone in this situation, and there is a way to stop the phone calls and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. For help from a lawyer experienced in slip and fall insurance claims, contact our office to schedule a free case review.

Why does the Investigator on my Slip and Fall keep Calling me?

Insurance adjusters and investigators give off the impression that they’re concerned about you and want to be of help. In truth, these people are trained to talk you into a low offer, or trick you into saying or agreeing to something that will cause your claim to be denied. They are aware that slip and fall accidents often result in serious injuries with long-term health issues. If your accident was due to the store’s negligence, they owe you much more than the immediate cost of treating your injuries. Here at Normandie, when we valuate a slip and fall, here are the damages we take into account:

• Current and long-term medical expenses
• Lost wages (including future loss of income)
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Property damage

As you can imagine, the store where you were injured has no interest in paying you for all these losses. The investigator from the insurance company works for them, so their job is to prey on your desperation. They know that you’re stressed about the costs associated with your accident, and the more they can exploit your worries, the better their chances of closing out a case with a lowball settlement.

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The Insurance Company keeps Calling and Offering me Money. Should I Accept their Offer?

Another tactic insurance adjusters are experts at is continuing to call and making it sound like they want to offer you a fair settlement. They do this by staying calm, making conversation, and asking question after question in an effort to extract information. Even if you try to get them off the phone or say you’re unsure about what they’re asking, they’ll say that the information is essential to approving your claim. Again, they are using your sense of desperation against you.

We want to make it clear that an insurance company will never make you a fair offer right off the bat. Pinching pennies is what they are paid to do, and if you agree to their offer, your case is officially settled and you cannot ask for more money later on. This is why they typically call you right after an accident and keep calling until you pick up. At this point, you don’t know the full extent of your injuries or their impact on many areas of your life. It’s easy for adjusters to manipulate you into a low settlement, especially if you haven’t spoken to a lawyer. A slip and fall attorney at our office can protect your rights and fight for the damages you are owed for your harm and suffering.

If they Leave a Message, should I Return their Calls?

If you’re unavailable or you have a habit of screening your calls, you may have received a voicemail, email, or text from the adjuster, asking you to call them back. You may be tempted to call them back out of courtesy, or because you’re eager to get paid on your claim. Many times, investigators and adjusters will call until they get the victim on the line, so they can close the case with an offer of money and have them sign the release.

As we previously mentioned, the insurance adjuster is not your friend or advocate. Their job is to represent the interests of their client, not yours. Our recommendation is to continue sending these calls to your voicemail and start screening your calls. These agents often call from different phone numbers in order to trick you into picking up the phone. Once they do, you could end up saying something that you’ll regret. For example, it’s very common practice in these cases to mention that the phone call will be recorded. Don’t agree to this under any circumstances; the goal here is to get you make a conflicting statement or mention details about your life that can be used against you.

Instead of dealing with the insurance company directly, call us right away to protect your rights as a slip and fall injury victim. We can help you if you’re being hounded by a Walmart investigator or an insurance rep from any major retailer, including:

• Target
• Costco
• Kroger
• Lowes
• Home Depot
• McDonald’s
• Burger King
• Wendy’s
• CVS
• Albertson’s
• Apple Stores
• Publix
• Best Buy
• TJ Maxx
• Marshalls
• Home Goods
• Dollar General
• Dollar Tree
• 7-Eleven
• AT&T Wireless
• Verizon Wireless
• Kohl’s
• BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Rite Aid
• O’Reilly’s Auto Parts
• Auto Zone
• Ulta Beauty
• Sephora
• PetSmart
• Petco
• Bass Pro
• Staples
• Office Depot
• Michaels
• Save-A-Lot
• Barnes & Nobles

Should I Speak with an Attorney before I Call them back?

Yes, you should absolutely consult an attorney before you speak with an insurance adjuster. In fact, we strongly urge you to call an attorney as soon as you can after an accident. Insurance company investigators call you right away in the hopes that you haven’t retained a lawyer. They know this is the best time to pressure you into a settlement, and once you pick up that phone or return their call, they will not rest until you agree to their demands.

An insurance adjuster will also look for ways to deny you compensation for future injuries. Let’s say, for example, that you talk to an adjuster right after your accident and tell them that you suffered a concussion. Later on, you are diagnosed with a serious back injury that will require surgery and months of physical therapy. Since you did not mention this on the original call, the insurer will say that your back injury was caused by something other than the accident. This way, they can pay you as little as possible, which is their job at the end of the day.

The legal experts of Normandie can handle all communications with an insurance adjuster from day one. We understand how these companies operate and know what it takes to ensure a favorable outcome in these cases. Contact our office to learn more about your rights and legal options.

Slip and Fall Accident Claim FAQs

How much is the average slip and fall case worth?

A slip and fall accident on a commercial property may be worth around $150,000 to $350,000 depending on the extent of your injuries. The types of injuries, the recovery process, whether the injury will completely heal – these are all relevant factors in the valuation of an injury claim. For examples, cases with minor injuries that will fully heal with surgery and other treatments may be worth $25,000 to $50,000 on average. But if there is permanent damage, like traumatic brain injury, paraplegia, and loss of hearing / vision, the victim may be awarded one to several million dollars.

How long does it take to settle these cases?

Frankly, there’s no average settlement time that we can apply to these cases. Some slip and fall claims settle in just 30 days to a few months; other take up to several years. Our goal in every case is to work out a settlement directly with the insurance company. We are successful most of the time, though the process can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months. This can be due to resistance and stall tactics by the insurer, but it’s important to remember that these agents are dealing with hundreds or thousands of claims at once. The backlog of cases can take a lot of time to get through, and that alone can add months to a case timeline. In the event we need to file a lawsuit, it will much longer to settle your case – perhaps two years or more.

Is there a deadline to sue for my injuries?

Yes, the deadline for a slip and fall lawsuit in California is two years from the date of your accident, or two years from the date you discovery an injury from the accident. Please speak to a lawyer immediately to ensure that you do not miss the deadline for your case. There are very few circumstances that will allow for extra time if you miss the statute of limitations for a slip and fall claim. That means you could permanently lose the right to sue, even if you have ample evidence to support your case.

Free Second Opinion

Having an attorney is supposed to protect you from unscrupulous insurance adjusters, but what if your lawyer is nowhere to be found whenever you call them? What if you’re not sure about your attorney’s advice on the settlement offer you’ve received from an insurance company? If you’re experiencing frustration and doubt due to your attorney’s handling of your case, we may be able to assist you with a second opinion. After a free case review with one of our experts, you may be interested in transferring your case to our law firm. Or, maybe we can provide you with reassurance that your case is headed in the right direction.

No matter the outcome, a second opinion at our office is 100% free, so please take the chance of scheduling a meeting with one of our lawyers.

Representation from a California Slip and Fall Attorney

A slip and fall accident makes you vulnerable in many ways, and it’s easy to be taken advantage of by an insurance company. No matter how helpful and friendly an insurance adjuster may appear, these people are not on your side. If you’re in need of an advocate who will protect you from their games and help you recover the payment you’re entitled to, please contact the attorneys of Normandie. We have over two decades of experience in the recovery of personal injury settlements. We will fight tirelessly for your rights and ensure that you receive justice from the responsible party.

You have enough to worry about, and the cost of legal fees should not be your responsibility. With our Zero fee guarantee, we won’t ask for a penny from you for the entire duration of your case. Because our expenses are factored into your settlement demand, our services are paid for by the retailer you are suing. That means the only way we get paid is if you get paid.

We are ready to assist you in your journey to recovery. Call us today and speak to a California slip and fall injury lawyer.

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