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Do NOT sign any papers

November 28, 2014 by Jonathan Stein

If I had my way, I would write it this way: DO NOT SIGN ANY PAPERS!

I have said this before, and I say it again: DO NOT SIGN ANY PAPERS! Seriously. This is a huge issue.

Put yourself in this situation. You are involved in a car accident. An adjuster comes out to your house to talk to you about what happened. He or she tells you that they can pay you for your medical bills plus $500. You think “Huh, that is not bad.” So the adjuster takes out a form that he says you need to sign before he can pay you. He puts it in front of you, “explains it,” and then tells you to sign it. You see the adjuster writing a check for $500 so you sign the paper. The adjuster gives you a check and then goes on his way.

A week later the doctor sends you for an MRI. It turns out, you have a herniated disc in your back. You call the adjuster up and tell him that they need to pay this. The adjuster says “Sorry, you signed a release. We aren’t paying you any more money.”  What do you do?

You call an attorney. The attorney gets a copy of the paper you signed. It turns out that it is a release of all claims. Your case is over. 

You may not fully understand what you signed. Stop, let someone read any papers, and do not sign them until you understand every last word.  Do not rely on the adjuster to explain it to you. If you need more time, tell the adjuster that. If you want an attorney to review the papers, take the time to do that. But do not sign anything until you understand all of it. 

Categories: Auto Insurance, Claims, Consumer Issues, Current Affairs, Insurance Operations, Law, Personal Injury Tags: auto accident, auto crash, bodily injury, car accident, car crash, copay, doctor visit, documentation, go to the doctor, motor vehicle accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle crash, MVA, MVC, personal injury, pictures, what to do after a car accident, what to do after a motor vehicle collision, what to do after an accident

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