In the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle collision, the other driver’s insurance company may contact you and ask for a recorded statement about your recollection of the incident. It is vitally important that you do not give them any kind of statement until you speak with a knowledgeable car accident attorney.
Insurance adjusters are not attorneys, but when it comes to automobile negligence or insurance issues, they have a lot more knowledge than the average person. If an injured driver gives a recorded statement after a crash, that statement can be used against them. We can ensure that does not happen.
Sometimes there are mixed issues on liability—someone may fail to yield the right of way at a stop sign, and at first glance, that person seems to be at fault. But further investigation might find that the other driver was speeding, leading to a case of comparative fault. In most instances, the person does not have to talk to the other party’s insurance company and give them a statement, and it is better to speak with an attorney to learn their rights under the law in regards to identifying fault and what kind of injuries they can recover.
The insurance company is not your friend. They are in business for profit and they train their adjusters to get information from injured people who might end up seeking claims against them, minimizing your injury and the fault of their insured, and figuring out how to place fault on you instead.
Recorded statements can be used against you if the facts turn out to be different than what was said in the statement. You will not have the full perspective immediately after the crash and might make statements that end up being untrue or missing an important element. Their job is to end their insured’s legal exposure and they end that with quick settlements. They take statements that confuse the issues and mislead you about pre-existing conditions.
Injured drivers just want to see the doctor bills are paid, and so they reach out to these companies or allow themselves to be contacted. It can create problems if they find out later their financial losses are more significant.
Under the law, you are entitled to get a copy of any recorded statement you make. Our personal injury attorneys can then see how this statement affects your claim, and explain where to go from here. However, you will be in the best position if you call Kopfler and Hermann before making any statement in the first place. Call us immediately for a free consultation after your vehicle accident.
