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which helps out tremendously in her practice areas. She’s logically focused and great at keeping everything in line. I always joke with Chelsea that I knew from the minute I met her that I had to hire her, but I also had to pretend that I was still interviewing other associates. From the moment I met her, I knew she was incredible.
Psonya: I still can’t believe Psonya is working for our team as “of counsel” and feel truly blessed to have her on board. Psonya — the “p” is silent — has been practicing law for 20 years. She was the first African American attorney to serve as a staff
Friendly, But Not Your Friend
attorney for the Mississippi Supreme Court and is the first African American president elect of the Tennessee Lawyer’s Association for Women. Psonya also served in a leadership position on the American Bar Association’s Family Law Section. She’s a tremendous leader, and to have her on our team when we need her guidance is powerful. Psonya is so humble that she would never brag about all of her accomplishments, but that’s okay, because I certainly will! We could not accomplish the goals we set at Douglass & Runger every day without our amazing team supporting our clients with me. Thank you, all, for the work you continue to do each day. It’s a privilege to serve with you.
DEALING WITH INSURANCE ADJUSTERS
Let’s say you’ve been rear-ended when you were stopped at an intersection waiting for your turn to go. The driver who caused the accident exchanges information as they should, and you two go your separate ways. You start to feel some neck pain that night, and after a day or two, the pain gets severe enough that you need to see a doctor. But that’s when the phone rings. It’s the other driver’s insurance adjuster, and they’re firing off a list of questions that you haven’t even had time to consider with your new injury stealing all your focus. What should you do? If your answer is to tell them that you will only speak to them with your lawyer present, then you’ve made the right choice! The truth is that even though the adjuster may seem friendly and concerned about your well-being, their job is to try and get you to say anything that will help relieve their client of liability and avoid paying you the compensation you deserve. One of the biggest mistakes many people make when they’re involved in an accident is giving a statement to the negligent party’s insurance company without having an attorney. The adjusters provide a false sense of concern and trust with phrases like “I want to take care of this for you” so that they can keep you talking and use your words against you later on. It’s necessary to have a lawyer present during discussions with adjusters because they keep the adjusters in check by knowing which questions you should or shouldn't answer. For example, an adjuster may ask you to describe all your injuries and pain levels, but if it’s only been a day or two since the accident, you likely don’t know the full extent of your injuries. So if you only tell them about your neck pain but a few days later realize you're also experiencing back pain following the wreck, the adjuster will claim it’s unrelated. A lawyer will help protect the value of your case by guiding you through answering the adjuster’s loaded questions.
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” –Winston Churchill INSPIRATION
If you’ve been injured in car accident and aren’t sure how to navigate the steps that come next, we can help. Visit DouglassRunger.com to schedule an appointment with our team.
901-388-5805 • 3
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