Should I Give The Insurance Company A Recorded Statement About My Car Accident?
Insurance Companies Move Fast in Auto Accident Cases
Unlike lawyers who represent persons who have been injured in an auto accident, insurance companies are able to begin their investigation and defense of a case immediately. It is commonplace for the insurance company for the Defendant to contact a person injured in a car accident within twenty-four hours of it occurring! Typically, their approach is to assert that they are there to “help”. They want to determine how the accident happened and what the injuries are.
Although I am certain some insurance companies have good motives, I truly believe that their real purpose is to try to lessen the value of your claim in combination with providing you significant guilt for pursuing it. It is rare, if ever, that I have heard an insurance company even let my client know that the recorded statement was optional, and sometimes, not even let them know they are being recorded.
Recorded Statements in Car Accident Cases are Your Option
It is important to know that recorded statements for the other parties’ insurance company are optional. If anything, you should certainly consult with an attorney before considering providing one. Most people know what happened in an accident and their injuries, but you need to remember that the adjuster for the insurance company knows all the “tricks” of putting words in your mouth, such as quickly having you agree that you are okay or that it was a “fender bender.”
Most of us are so polite and welcoming to speak to someone whom we think is going to help us, that we become more agreeable then the truth otherwise would allow.
A Recorded Statement Can Quickly Come Back to Haunt You
For example, most doctors will agree that it is not at all unusual for someone to begin experiencing pain for the first time two to three days after an accident. Imagine if the insurance company calls you within twenty-four hours and you are not having pain. A year or two later when you are in the middle of trial, it certainly is not a welcome sound to hear your voice telling the insurance company that you were not hurt or injured shortly after the car accident when you were in fact were. Keep these things in mind when you make a decision on whether or not to provide the insurance company with a statement.
Uninsured Motorist Auto Accident Claims may Require a Recorded Statement
Also, remember that there are some situations where you are required to provide a recorded statement. These are almost exclusively dealt with in situations where uninsured motorist coverage is involved. Your policy may require you to provide a statement.
Before agreeing to do so, I would always advise you to obtain a copy of your policy as well as speak with an experienced lawyer in this arena to discuss whether claims that you have to do so are accurate.
