If you were…
- Hit by a Farmers Insurance customer and…
- Seriously injured…
You must take special care to make sure you receive everything you need in recovery. How you file your claim with Farmers can affect the support you receive and how long you must wait for a settlement check to arrive.
Filing Your Claim with Farmers Insurance
After a scary accident on a busy road like Route 58, you may be handed an insurance card by the at-fault driver.
If the other driver is covered by Farmers Insurance, you’ll probably wonder how to get started.
You’ll go to their claims website and click on the option for “I’m someone else,” meaning you aren’t a Farmers customer.
- Then you’ll need the other driver’s phone number or policy number to continue
- You’ll also want to have the policyholder’s first and last name handy
- You’ll need to know the date of the accident and what time it happened
It’s important not to file a claim until you are ready. That can mean waiting on medical bills to arrive and car repair invoices so they can be included. You should also have your evidence in order, including any photos or video you took from the scene, your medical charts, and the pay stubs showing how much time and money you’ve lost at work.
Your Bakersfield car accident lawyer can add additional evidence and handle the entire frustrating claims process. This is another benefit of having a lawyer for your case. You can focus on healing while your attorney makes insurance adjusters worry.
When You Could Use a Lawyer’s Help
If your accident just involves car damage, you can probably do fine filing a claim yourself. But when your accident results in serious injuries and another driver was at fault, it’s a good time to schedule a free consultation online. An injury comes with higher bills and more resistance from car insurance companies like Farmers.
A serious injury might include…
- Broken bones
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Neck Injuries (including a serious case of whiplash)
- Back injuries
- Hip, knee, and other joint injuries
- An injury to a family member
Your lawyer gathers evidence to make sure the blame in an accident can’t be shifted. Your attorney also demands the maximum in compensation for you, often earning you much more than you could win yourself.
When to Say No When Dealing with Farmers Insurance
Victims dealing with stacks of doctor bills and very light paychecks while they can’t work can worry a lot about how long a settlement is taking.
Insurance adjusters use this to their advantage. They want victims eager to jump at any settlement offer they get.
Victims should keep their cool and not give insurers the upper hand.
These are just a few of the mistakes accident victims should avoid:
- Don’t sign quick settlement offers. These can be “lowball” offers sent in hopes victims sign off on them in a hurry before they know what their recovery will really cost. Once they’ve signed, they can’t go back and ask for more.
- Don’t allow an insurer to delay your claim purposely. When you have to wait and watch your medical debt grow, it can also leave you susceptible to accepting the first settlement offer you receive weeks later. A lawyer can help you take action against a stalling insurer, and even report them to California’s Department of Insurance. There are state laws that limit how long insurers can make you wait.
- Don’t offer recorded statements. An insurer from Farmers may call you and ask for a recorded statement about what happened. You can politely say no. You don’t have to give a statement. This is an attempt by the adjuster to get you to say something they can twist later to hurt your case. Stick to basic information and let your attorney handle the communication.
- Don’t forget to talk to a lawyer. If you’re injured, a lawyer may be a necessary protection. A lawyer can make sure any settlement you get fully covers your past bills and any care you could need in the future. You should reach out to a lawyer for a no-risk, free case review. It’s a good idea, even if you’ve already started the claims process but haven’t signed off on a settlement. You can also contact a Bakersfield lawyer if your claim has been unfairly denied
Discuss Your Accident Claim with a Bakersfield Car Accident Attorney for FREE
If you were in a serious accident and you feel the insurance company is trying to stick you with the bills, contact Maison Law for a free case consultation. It’s a confidential meeting with no obligation to you.
If you do need us, there’s no upfront charge to hire a lawyer. Maison Law doesn’t accept payment unless we win your case for you. Then our lawyer’s fee comes out of the settlement money that Farmers Insurance must hand over to you.
