A car accident can cause untold upheaval in your life. Once the dust settles after the initial shock, you may find yourself facing calls from insurance adjusters who sound friendly and helpful. Their job, however, is to protect their company's bottom line, not yours. Insurance companies train adjusters to gather information quickly, often before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers has represented injured people in the Kansas City area for more than 40 years and has built a reputation as an experienced insurance bad faith law firm. Insurance companies know Presley and Presley will not back down when a client deserves better treatment. Read on to learn what to expect and avoid when dealing with insurance companies, and then call our office for a free consultation.
Why Insurance Companies Contact You Quickly
Insurance adjusters in the Kansas City area often call within hours of an accident. Companies know that people are more likely to make inadvertently harmful statements or accept a quick settlement before they understand how serious their injuries really are. This is why everyone must be cautious when talking to insurance adjusters after an accident in Missouri.
An early call also gives the insurance adjuster a chance to record your statement while details are fresh – and you’re still rattled from the experience. The adjuster may later use small inconsistencies against you, even when they come from ordinary memory gaps after a stressful event.
Adjusters may also ask you to sign a medical authorization release. This document can give the insurance company broad access to your medical history, not just records tied to the crash, letting the adjuster search for prior conditions to blame for your pain.
What You Should Do Before Speaking With an Insurance Adjuster
Before you say anything to an adjuster in a Kansas City claim – especially one from the other driver's insurance company – take a few steps to protect yourself.
- Get medical care first – A doctor can identify injuries that may not feel obvious right away, and your records will document a treatment timeline.
- Write down what happened – Record the date, time, and sequence of events while your memory is clear.
- Gather contact information – Collect names and phone numbers of witnesses, as their accounts can support your version of events.
- Take photos of the scene – Pictures of vehicle damage and visible injuries can provide evidence that is hard to dispute.
- Speak with a lawyer before giving a statement – An attorney can prepare you for the adjuster's questions and help you avoid saying something that hurts your claim.
Missouri law also requires drivers to report certain accidents to the Department of Revenue. If your crash involved all three of the following, it must be reported:
- The crash involved an uninsured driver,
- The crash happened less than a year ago, AND
- The crash caused more than five hundred dollars in property damage, or any injury or death.
You generally must file a report with the Driver License Bureau within one year, under Section 303.040, RSMo. The Missouri Department of Revenue explains this process.
What Information You Should Share
You do need to report any accident to your own insurer, and most policies require you to cooperate on a basic level. That being said, you can typically share the following without much risk:
- Your name and contact information
- The date, time, and general location of the accident
- The names of everyone involved and any responding officers
- Your insurance policy number
Avoid guessing about how the accident happened or how badly you were hurt. A simple "I'm fine" can end up in the claim file and later suggest your injuries were minor. Stick to the facts you know for certain, and let a personal injury attorney handle the detailed questions.
Common Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Claim
Even careful people make mistakes that weaken an otherwise strong claim. For example:
- Apologizing at the scene – An insurance company can interpret "I'm sorry" as an admission of fault, even when you were just expressing concern for the other person’s well-being.
- Posting about the accident on social media – Insurers can use a photo of you smiling at a family event to argue your injuries are not serious.
- Waiting too long to see a doctor – A treatment gap can give an adjuster a reason to blame something else for your pain.
- Accepting the first settlement offer – Early offers often arrive before you know the full cost of your care.
- Giving a recorded statement without preparation – Adjusters ask questions in a way that can lead to answers that hurt your claim.
Understanding Insurance Company Settlement Offers
A lowball settlement offer is any proposed insurance payout that falls substantially below what a claim is worth. Insurance companies often make such offers early on in the process because they know that a stressed accident victim would rather cash in quickly than wait for a fair resolution.
A fair settlement should account for your medical bills, lost income, and the pain you have experienced, along with any ongoing care you may need. A quick offer within days of the accident is often a sign that the insurer believes their client is to blame, since signing a release typically means giving up your right to ask for more money later.
Before you accept any offer, have a personal injury lawyer review the number and compare it to similar car accident and personal injury claims in Kansas City.
How to Document Your Injuries and Losses
Good documentation can make the difference between a fair settlement and a lowball offer. Some of the most important evidence includes:
- Medical records and bills – These show the scope of your treatment and a timeline that supports your claim.
- Photos of your injuries – Pictures taken over time can show how your injuries have changed.
- A pain journal – Daily notes on your pain and limitations can help you remember details that fade over time.
- Proof of lost income – Pay stubs or a letter from your employer can confirm the work you missed.
- Repair estimates and receipts – These show the true cost of any property damage.
When Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Not every accident requires a lawyer, but certain situations call for help from a personal injury law firm right away.
- Your injuries are serious or long-term – Severe injuries often involve larger settlements, and insurers fight harder against bigger payouts.
- The insurance company disputes fault – A fault dispute can quickly turn into a complicated back-and-forth that benefits from legal experience.
- The insurance company denies or delays your claim without a clear reason – This can point to bad faith practices that an attorney will know how to challenge.
- The insurance company acts in bad faith – Unreasonable delays, lowball offers, or a lack of communication are all signs a lawyer should get involved.
- You are unsure how much your claim is worth – An attorney can evaluate your bills and losses to help you determine a fair number.
How Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers Helps Clients Deal With Insurance Companies
Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers has represented injured clients for more than 40 years and has recovered more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts for clients facing catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, trucking accidents, aviation accidents, and insurance bad-faith claims. (Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future matter.) We earned national recognition in the 2026 Best Law Firms rankings, and our attorneys focus on complex personal injury cases that require extensive courtroom experience.
When Presley and Presley takes on a case, our firm's lawyers will communicate directly with the insurance company on your behalf, so you can put your energy toward recovering instead of fielding calls from adjusters. Insurance companies in the Kansas City area recognize the Presley and Presley name, and they know that they can’t get away with offering subpar settlement offers to our clients. Our attorneys will build your claim with thorough documentation and, when necessary, will take a case to trial to pursue the full value a client deserves.
We are particularly proud of the satisfaction level of our former clients, exemplified in this 5-star review from L.C.:
“They are excellent, and the experience was wonderful! I was very satisfied with the whole team, and I wish them all well. I will be recommending them to everyone.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Insurance Claims After an Accident
Do I have to give a recorded statement to the insurance company?
While you are contractually required to notify your own insurance company about the accident, you are not required to give a recorded statement, especially not to the other driver's insurance company. You can politely decline and direct the adjuster to your attorney.
What if the insurance company denies my car accident insurance claim?
A denial is not always the final answer. A lawyer can review the letter, gather more evidence, and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to challenge the decision.
What is comparative fault, and how does it affect my claim?
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule, so you can still recover compensation even if you were partially responsible, though your share of fault will reduce your final settlement.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri?
Missouri law generally gives personal injury victims five years from the accident date to file a lawsuit, under Section 516.120, RSMo. Deadlines vary by claim type, so speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Do I have to pay up front for a personal injury attorney?
Most personal injury lawyers, including the attorneys at Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers, work on a contingency fee basis. This means that the law firm only collects attorney fees if it recovers money for you.
Contact Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers for Guidance After an Accident
Dealing with an insurance company on your own can feel overwhelming while you are trying to recover from an injury. Presley and Presley Trial Lawyers has spent more than four decades helping people throughout the Kansas City area stand up to insurance companies and pursue the fair treatment they deserve. Contact our firm today for a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.
