After an accident, you will need to submit a statement to the insurance company about your injuries and losses. They may want you to provide a recorded statement. But should you give a recorded statement to an insurance company?
In nearly all situations, you should not give a recorded statement to the insurance company. Doing so could harm your case over time. There are several reasons why you should not provide a recorded statement, and an auto accident lawyer in Newnan
can assist with your case.
Insurance Companies Want You to Make a Mistake
What you tell the insurance company can be used to make decisions about your case and claim. If you say something during a recorded statement, they may try to use that against you. Even if that statement is recorded, they can still use what you say out of context to put you at risk of not getting a fair claim. Some of the ways that insurance companies may try to trick you include:
- Admitting fault: The insurance company may try to get you to say something that shows you were at least partially at fault. This may include statements such as saying that you looked away during an accident or that you did not follow the doctor’s orders.
- Previous injuries and illnesses: Insurance companies may try to pressure you into making a statement that indicates that you have a preexisting condition. For example, they may want you to state that you hurt your back previously so that they can say that your current injuries are due to a preexisting condition and not the fault of their current responsibility.
- Tripping you up: Insurance companies may try to make statements that contradict each other, making you seem less honest. In these situations, the insurance company’s objective is to get you to settle for less than you are owed.
In all of these situations, the goal is the same. Find a way to reduce the compensation owed to you. By getting you to record a statement, they can piece it together in any way that makes it hard for you to recover fair damages.
Recorded Statements Aim to be a Permanent Record
What you say in a recorded statement can become a permanent record. That means that if you want to clarify or change something you said, it is far more challenging to do so. Over time, you may find yourself dealing with misunderstandings that limit your right to compensation.
You Have No Obligation to Do So
Another important reason to avoid providing a recorded statement is simply because the insurance company cannot force you to do so. You are under no obligation to provide these statements, and in fact, there are very few benefits to you in doing so. You are not legally required to provide your insurance company or that of another person’s insurance company information in a recorded statement.
Rather than do so, simply tell the insurance company that you would rather not provide a statement right now. Inform them that you will have your attorney contact them with any questions they may have or if they require any clarification.
Always Seek Legal Guidance
What you can do when an insurance company is trying to pursue compensation is to tell them that you have retained an attorney. This then mitigates the risk of having to make any statement that puts your claim at risk.