Why Car Accident Lawyers May Tell You Not to Give Recorded
Statements to Insurance Companies
In addition to contacting the police after
an automobile accident, you also are obligated by your insurance
company to report the accident to them. And, while you should
fulfill this obligation to your insurance company by reporting
your accident as soon as possible, it also pays to be careful
when speaking to any insurance company, especially if the
insurance company asks you to give a recorded statement.
A recorded statement may seem innocent enough,
and your adjuster may tell you the statement is simply for
their records. But in reality, anything you say on the recorded
statement can be used against you when you file a claim seeking
compensation for your medical bills and injuries. Therefore,
before giving a recorded statement to any insurance company,
contact several car accident lawyers in your area and find
an attorney you are comfortable with and who is willing to
represent you.
Once you have legal representation, your
auto accident lawyer
will tell you that you are not required to give a recorded
statement to an insurance company—even though the insurance
company or adjuster may tell you otherwise. If the insurance
company presses the matter, tell them that you do not want
to give a recorded statement at the time, and that you want
to consult with your car accident lawyers before giving a
recorded statement. Then, by all means, speak to your lawyer.
At this point, you may be wondering, what
is the harm in giving a recorded statement to an insurance
company? The main harm, according to most car accident lawyers,
is that any of the following slip-ups can be caught on tape
and be forever used as evidence against you when filing your
claim:
- You may not understand a question and
give an incorrect answer.
- You may, in the interest of being friendly
or polite, start a long conversation and say too much—including
things that inadvertently contradict what you’ve said in
your insurance claim.
- You may forget important information
and details that support your claim.
- If you are still hurting, dazed, and/or
taking medication because of your car accident, there’s
a good chance you won’t be able to speak coherently and
clearly about what happened. You may even infer that the
accident was your fault when you really don’t feel that
way.
So, do yourself and your car
accident attorney a big favor. Refuse to give a recorded
statement to an insurance company until you have taken the
time to discuss it with your lawyer. Then, if you and your
car accident lawyers feel it is a good idea to give a recorded
statement, do so only with your attorney present.
If you or someone you care about needs to
speak to car accident lawyers about a crash that occurred
anywhere in central Florida, from Tampa to St Petersburg,
Clearwater to Orlando, Pasco to Lakeland and Sarasota, please
contact Kennedy Law Group today for a free assessment of your
case. And, if our law firm becomes your car
accident lawyer, we will not charge you anything until
there is a financial recovery in your case. As the old saying
goes, you really have nothing to lose—and you also have experienced
advice to gain.
|
