Law Technology

My First Experience with Adjuster Law

When I was relatively new as a Plaintiff’s attorney, I received a call from a GEICO adjuster stating that at the beginning of December, that they wanted to take all of their cases and wrap them up for the year’s end. That a super adjuster was coming in from Atlanta and would take care of all the cases at once.

What a great idea, I naively thought. The big day came and I had 5 cases with GEICO at that time. She didn’t even read the demands and medical records:

• Too Young – I can’t believe that such a young girl has such serious injuries and won’t recover. She’s young, she’ll get better.
• Too Old – I can’t believe that she’s having such problems from the car wreck. She has to have a ton of pre-existing conditions.
• Too Much Treatment – It’s clear she’s ‘milking it’.
• Too Little Treatment – She’s obviously not hurt.

Let’s play this ‘game’ a little more.

• If a person goes directly to the doctor – She ran to the doctor. Why is she doing that?
• If a person waits a day, to see how they’re feeling – They must not be hurt. If they were hurt, they’d go immediately to the doctor.

It took me awhile to realize that to a very large degree, the facts don’t matter to the adjuster. They’ll find anything they can to poke. After awhile you learn to document your case and if the adjuster won’t listen, then you just file suit, and move the case forward. The best way to settle a case is to prepare for trial.

Full post as published by South Carolina Trial Law Blog on February 15, 2009 (boomark / email).