Getting injured in a car accident is a devastating event. It leaves you injured and feeling pain and anger at the situation. The accident was not your fault, and it’s taking longer than you expected to get answers. You’re worried about the medical bills piling up. Even before you have hired a personal injury attorney, you should be sure to keep information about your accident to yourself. You can take time to choose your legal representation, but hiring an attorney insures that you will have an advisor to talk to the insurance companies. Here’s why, without your attorney present, you shouldn’t give recorded statements to insurance companies:
1. The at-fault insurance carrier has its own adjuster whose mission is to pay out little or nothing for your claim. He or she works for a profit-oriented business and will not hesitate to ask questions that damage your claim.
2. You don’t know what questions you will be asked, and you won’t take the time to prepare for the statement. If you would give a recorded statement with the attorney present, you would practice answering questions first to ensure that your testimony supports what your medical records and previous phone calls to report the claim show.
3. You don’t want to make statements that contradict your prior claims. Imagine that you had to call and report the claim to your insurance carrier. You had to get your vehicle fixed, but you might also have spoken with the at-fault insurance carrier and sought to have your car repairs paid for or at least to recover your deductible. In those phone calls, you were discussing property damage, not your injuries.
Working with an attorney ensures that your advisor will handle questions from the insurance company and will arrange a recorded statement when you have had time to prepare. Any statement could later be used in the civil courts to support or refute your claims for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. It’s safe to assume that both insurance companies are not on your side, and they are only going to collect information that helps them to do their jobs. They are not impartial or committed to asking questions that will help you make a recovery for injuries. They may not even be very cooperative when it comes to getting your vehicle repaired or declared a total loss.