When you are involved in a car crash or commerical vehicle collision that wasn’t your fault, the at-fault party’s insurance company may contact you within hours after the accident. You are likely still disoriented, shocked, and confused about what happened and how you are going to be reimbursed for your damages. Insurance company adjusters know that when they contact you immediately after the accident, they may get you to say something they can use to their advantage.
While you are probably anxious to get the ball rolling on your insurance claim, be careful. You shouldn’t agree to provide a recorded statement to the insurance company adjuster at this time. You also shouldn’t be enticed to accept a quick settlement offer before you even know what your claim is worth.
Contact an experienced Baton Rouge car accident lawyer or truck accident lawyer who can protect your rights and help you secure maximum compensation for your damages. Your attorney can handle all communications with the insurance company and help you provide a written statement if necessary.
What Is an Insurance Claim Recorded Statement?
Insurance company adjusters may contact you and ask if you will provide a recorded statement about the accident. The adjuster may sound very kind and concerned about your well-being and the request may seem reasonable. But, the purpose of their call is to obtain information they can use against you.
Insurance adjusters are trained to exploit your vulnerability after an accident to get you to say something to help them deny or devalue your claim. They also use this time of uncertainty to make a low-ball settlement offer to get you to settle your claim for far less than it’s worth.
How Recorded Statements Can Be Used to Deny or Devalue Your Claim
An adjuster can ask you seemingly innocent questions about the motor vehicle accident and your injuries. Here are some tactics an insurance adjuster may use:
- They may say how sorry they are that you were involved in an accident and ask how you’re you feeling, hoping you will say, “oh, I’m okay,” or a similar statement to indicate you are not injured or that your injuries are minor.
- They may ask why you didn’t go to the hospital’s emergency room or be treated by paramedics, hoping you’ll say that you believe you weren’t injured and that the accident wasn’t a big deal.
- They may ask you, where you were going or what you were doing just before the accident. They’re hoping you’ll say “I was on the phone with my friend,” or “I had just pulled out of the fast food restaurant,” to show you may have been distracted with your phone, by eating and driving, or something similar they can use to their advantage.
Insurance adjusters know that if they appear to be on your side, you may make a statement that sounds like an admission of fault or that you were partially at fault. You should never admit fault or apologize for the accident. Be aware of any tricky questions they may ask to elicit a statement that can be used to show you may have some liability.
How an Experienced Baton Rouge Car Accident Attorney Can Help
An experienced car accident lawyer in Baton Rouge will know how to combat the insurance company’s sneaky tactics and can help protect your right to recover the compensation you deserve. Your car accident attorney can provide the insurance company with the information they need to process your claim without providing them with unnecessary data they could use against you.
Contact Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys Today
If you’ve been injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages. However, insurance companies are in business to make a profit and they often use unfair tactics to deny or devalue your claim. You need to immediately contact an experienced car accident lawyer in Baton Rouge to handle all aspects of your claim.
At Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys, our team of personal injury lawyers helped thousands of clients collect maximum compensation for car accident damages and we want to do the same for you. Call (225) 999-1111 or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim today with a Baton Rouge car accident attorney.