4 Reasons Not to Give a Recorded Statement after an Accident

As you recover at home from a car accident, you might receive a phone call from the insurance company of the driver who hit you. The person on the other end might sound perfectly nice and express concern over how you are doing. Nevertheless, you should remain on guard.

This person is probably calling because they want to take a recorded statement. Although you might be happy to share your version of events, here are 4 reasons why you should delay speaking to the insurance company until you have retained a Florida car accident lawyer.

Anything You Say Could Be Used Against You

A car accident suit isn’t a criminal trial. Still, the same types of rules apply: whatever you say could be introduced later against you. This means that you might say something you didn’t really mean, but it will be used later to help the defendant avoid responsibility for the accident.

We wish we were making this up. But many insurance adjusters have all kinds of tricks they employ to get injured victims to say something that could undermine their case:

• The adjuster might say something like, “You weren’t really that hurt, right?” and it is very easy to agree, just because you are going with the flow of the conversation.
• The adjuster might get you to admit confusion about what happened, which makes it sound like you weren’t paying attention.

The insurance adjuster on the other end of the line will be in full control of the conversation and will try to slant it to their benefit.

It’s Easy to Be Confused

If you get a phone call right after the crash, you might be in considerable pain. Certain painkillers can make people foggy and confused, and you could easily say something inaccurate. Once it’s recorded, it can’t be erased.

Now there might come a time when you will need to share your version of events with an insurer, but it should be when you are feeling clear-headed and fully rested.

You Could Lose Out on Valuable Compensation

Florida is a comparative fault state. This means that your financial recovery will be reduced by your proportion of fault for the accident. If you are 50% to blame, then you’ll only get half of the money you need for medical bills and lost wages.

This is the whole point of recording you: to get you to say something that minimizes your claim. You will be leaving real money on the table if you slip up and say something you later regret.

An Attorney Can Help

At our firm, we have represented countless motorists with insurance claims, and we know how to handle communications with insurance adjusters. We will help you pull together your version of events and carefully document everything. We can then present your story to the insurance company. If they have questions, we will be by your side as you answer them.

Contact Halpern Santos & Pinkert, P.A. today. Permanent, serious injuries deserve serious compensation. Let us help. Please call us to schedule your free consultation.

https://www.hsptrial.com/suing-a-drunk-driver-for-compensation-after-an-accident/