How to Answer Insurance Questions After An Accident
After a car accident, the other person’s insurance company will be looking for ways to deny or minimize the value of a claim. The most common way they do this is to contact the victim in the days following the car accident in an attempt to get the victim to say something that will damage the claim. If you get a call from a car insurance company, you need to be prepared. Keep reading to learn how to answer insurance questions after an accident.
If the insurance company calls you
If you receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company, you are not legally required to talk to them. If you do not want to speak to them, you can put them in touch with your lawyer.
If you are open to speaking with the insurance company, be careful with what you say since their goal is to minimize the validity of your claim and get information to use against you.
Below are a few things to keep in mind when talking to an insurance company:
Be honest and stick to facts.
Do not volunteer information when not asked.
Do not agree to providing a recorded statement.
Do not comment on your injuries. Do not say that you are “fine” either. Just tell the adjuster that you are receiving medical care or that your lawyer will share updates.
Write down the adjuster’s name and information to make sure you have it if you need it later.
Take notes during the phone call so you have a record of what was discussed.
There are several tactics insurance adjusters will take to try and invalidate your claim
1. Asking for a recorded statement
The adjuster may tell you that a recorded statement will speed up the process but the recorded statement could actually be used against you to diminish the value of your claim. If evidence is gathered later on that contradicts what you said in your recorded statement, your credibility could be damaged. Having a recorded statement can overall hurt the value of your claim since it can be deemed inaccurate.
Also be aware that they could ask for a recorded statement in the form of asking “can I record this phone call?”. If they ask, do not agree to a recording. You are not legally obligated to provide a written statement.
2. Asking for a medical release authorization
A medical release authorization will give the insurance company access to your medical records. Those medical records would not just be ones related to the car accident, but all of your medical records. The insurance company could try and deny your claim for medical expense coverage with evidence of a pre-existing condition.
3. Telling you that a lawyer is not necessary
An insurance adjuster could try to convince you that a lawyer is not necessary for this insurance claim. However, a personal injury lawyer will be the one person on your side throughout the process with your best interests in mind. Also, most people who hire a personal injury lawyer receive a higher settlement than those who do not.
If you have recently gotten into a car accident, call us at Bair Wilson Sharma to represent you. With a valid claim, we can handle the insurance companies to get you a fair settlement for damages. We will fight for the justice you deserve.
Sources:
https://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/personal-injury/tips-first-call-adjuster-after-accident.html
https://www.rodenlaw.com/blog/answering-insurance-questions-after-crash/