What You Should and Shouldn’t Say to an Insurance Company After a Car Accident
If you were injured in a car accident caused by another motorist, the at-fault party’s insurance company may try to contact you. While they might seem polite and eager to help you, remember the insurance company is not your friend. They care about their bottom line first and will try hard to get out of paying you what you deserve. What you say to an insurance adjuster can affect your car accident claim.
What You Can Say to an Insurance Company
If the defendant’s insurance company gives you a call after a car accident, there are some things you can say that will not affect your injury claim. It is perfectly safe to provide basic information about yourself, such as your name, phone number and address. You may also tell the insurance company basic information about the accident, including the date and location of the accident and the types of vehicles involved.
What You Shouldn’t Say to an Insurance Company
If you get a call from the at-fault party’s insurance company, be sure to choose your words very carefully. To start out with, you should never admit any kind of fault to an insurance adjuster. Even if you think you might have been distracted during the accident or speeding, do not tell anything to the adjuster. They’re looking for any reason to reduce liability on their part.
When speaking to an insurance company, you should also avoid talking about your health. If you tell the adjuster that you feel fine or that your symptoms are improving, it may jeopardize your claim.
If you’re unsure about the answer to an insurance company’s question, you should never speculate. If you are not certain about the answer to a question, just say, “I don’t know.’
Under no circumstances should you agree to give a recorded statement to the insurance company. Even if you are careful about what you say, the insurance company may try to take your statement out of context to devalue your claim. If they ask for you to provide a statement, politely decline and speak to a personal injury lawyer like one from Hall-Justice Law Firm.
If you suffered injuries in a car accident, consult a reputable personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.