Should I give my car insurance company a recorded statement after an accident? The short answer is no because doing so may allow the insurance company to misconstrue statements that may limit the compensation you receive in your case.
A Duluth car accident lawyer can help you protect your right to compensation and ensure communication with the insurance company is fair.
What You Have to Do When Filing a Claim
After a car accident or other covered event, you may need to file a claim with the insurance company so they can provide you with payment for your losses. Insurance companies do not simply trust you to provide them with accuracy. Instead, they will verify every detail and find any shortcut or opportunity possible to minimize the amount of compensation paid out. Giving a recorded statement to your insurance company after an accident could be one concern.
Most insurance companies will require you, as a policyholder, to complete a statement while also cooperating with the claims process they lay out for you. However, it is not likely that a recorded statement is a specific requirement but rather a suggested benefit to the company. Recorded statements can be beneficial to the insurance company because they are faster and move the case forward quicker, and often for less compensation than if a fully written out claim occurs.
Consider how long it might take you to describe what took place in the car accident you were in, and you may find it takes just a few minutes. Yet, before an officially documented claim is filed, it takes research to find out what actually caused the accident and statements that demonstrate these as facts. If you give a recorded statement, you may not be able to provide enough detail to validate your claim accurately enough.
Proudly Serving Duluth and All of Georgia Contact us to start your recovery! Explore Our Practice Areas
What to Do When it Comes to Filing a Claim for a Car Accident
Victims of a car accident will need to alert their auto insurance company within a matter of days about the accident itself, but this is not the same as filing a claim. When the time comes to file a claim, you should have documented evidence that clearly outlines all aspects of your injuries and losses, and you should not have to give a recorded statement to your insurance company. If you are not at that point yet, consider the following tips before filing a claim:
- Work with an attorney: By far, the most important step you can take is working with an attorney to file your claim. Your attorney will handle the entire claims process for you, including speaking to the insurance company and telling you what to say and what not to say.
- Never state anything but fact: A truck hit your car at the light, for example. Do not include that you think the light was red or that you looked up from your phone to see the truck coming at you. Only the facts eliminate risks.
- State you do not want to be recorded: Even if the insurance adjuster does not ask you, they can record you. Tell them upfront that you do not want to be recorded.
- Get the adjuster’s information: Be sure you have the name and contact information for the adjuster in your case. This ensures that, later on, you know exactly who you talked to if you need to refer to that information.
- State you are working with your attorney: When speaking to the adjuster, be clear that you will be using an attorney to file your case. This minimizes the risk that they will not take your questions and statements seriously.
Insurance companies are businesses, which means they will try to reduce costs by working to prove they do not owe you what you believe. To empower yourself and protect your future, hire a Duluth personal injury lawyer to work with you through this process. You do not have to face them on your own.
What Not to Say to the Insurance Company
Along with what to say, there are several specific things to avoid stating when communicating with the insurance adjuster or any representative of the company.
The easiest way to avoid these mistakes is to hire an attorney to handle the conversations for you instead of giving a recorded statement to your insurance company after an accident. If you do happen to speak to them, avoid these statements or implications.
- Do not apologize. Do not say, “I’m sorry.” Even if you believe you are just being polite or hate to bother them, this statement implies guilt.
- Do not speculate. In situations where you do not know the answer, say that. Do not guess and find yourself putting your case at risk. If the adjuster seems to be pressuring you, state that you do not know and will no longer answer that question.
- Do not talk about your injuries in any way. Do not update them on your condition or how you feel. Do not talk to them about your injuries at all until you see a doctor who can verify what your injuries are. Making a statement now and then having different diagnoses from a doctor can add questions to your case.
Most importantly, when speaking to the insurance company at any stage, whether you believe you are giving a recorded statement after an accident or making a claim, never agree to any settlement at this time. Anything they offer to you now is not accurate and does not support your claim thoroughly enough because they have not investigated.
Do not agree to any amount of compensation in your case until you speak to a Duluth head-on collision accident lawyer about what your losses really are.
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
Avoid the Recorded Statement and Work with an Attorney
When asked if the insurance company can record you when giving a statement or providing a claim, say no and mean it. Doing so protects your rights throughout the process and may safeguard your claim.
Let the legal team at Slam Dunk Attorney go to work to build a strong case for you that is backed by clear evidence that the insurance companies cannot refute.
Call or text 404-951-3513 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
