What to Do When Someone Dies Without a WillWhat to Do When Someone Dies Without a Will

About Me

What to Do When Someone Dies Without a Will

Hello, my name is Kerry. Last year my mother died suddenly. When we went through her papers, we discovered she didn't have a will. My mother had been married to another man before she met my father and I had a couple of step brothers. Unfortunately, they turned up on our doorstep and started to demand that we hand over my mother's life savings to them and their family. I contacted a lawyer who specialises in probate law. She talked me through my case and explained how we would defend it in court. Thankfully, the matter was resolved to my satisfaction and I could start to grieve for my mother. I decided to start this blog to help others who have a contested will on their hands.

Let Your Lawyer Handle Communications With the Other Side's Insurance Adjuster

29 December 2016
 Categories: Law, Blog

Having discussions with an insurance adjuster following a car accident may often lead to dreadful consequences. Insurance companies often protect their interests by refuting as many claims as possible and agreeing to the lowest possible compensation on others. Given that the insurance adjuster works on behalf of the insurance company, they lack the incentive to assist injury victims in getting fair compensation. Insurance adjusters may pretend to act friendly towards you but this is simply a façade so that you can slip up and mention something that will weaken your personal injury lawsuit.

The risks involved

Basically, the insurance adjuster will seek to obtain information from you in order to use it against you. Often, the insurance adjuster will seek to record the statements made by the accident victim. The victim may be totally honest about what transpired. However, during the trial, the insurance company may try to discredit the victim's credibility by pointing out even the smallest inconsistencies between the recorded statement and the trial testimony. Once the victim's credibility is put into question, the success of the victim's injury lawsuit may be cast in doubt.

Other caveats  

Besides attempting to obtain information to use against the accident victim and to obtain a recorded statement report, the insurance adjuster can also attempt to have the victim append their signature on a medical release form. Consequently, this form affords the insurance company the right to obtain the victim's health records. So the insurance adjuster will dig deep into the victim's health records to prove that they had a prior injury and use it as a basis to deny the injury claim.

The insurance adjuster may also offer you a settlement immediately. Quick settlements save the insurance company the hassle. More important, they want you to settle for a low amount before you can determine the full extent of your injuries and how much your injury claim is actually worth. Don't fall for the trap. Agreeing can seem like an easy way to obtain compensation without much difficulty, and a quick payment is often enticing, however it might actually cost you money, probably quite a bit.  

Legal assistance

Accident victims should first consult with a personal injury lawyer. The attorney will advise them on the entire claims process and can deal with any communications involving the insurance adjuster so that the victim doesn't make a blunder that negatively affect his or her case. Moreover, the lawyer can also negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement.