After you have been involved in a car accident involving another motorist, their auto insurance provider will likely want to talk to you and will have an insurance adjuster contact you. The adjuster will likely be very friendly. However, they are almost never looking out for your best interests. How you handle this conversation can affect your auto accident claim.
Talking to the Insurance Provider of the Other Motorist
Make sure to remain calm and focus only on the facts and what can be proven after the accident. Do not speculate, do not apologize, and do not make claims that cannot be supported. If the statements you make are truthful, what you say will carry more weight. However, you do not have to say anything that is not required by law. In many cases, it's better to simply let the investigation into your accident play out.
Talking to Your Own Insurance Provider
You will probably be expected by your auto insurer to quickly report the car accident that you are involved in. It's important to understand that your own insurer will also be trying to protect its bottom line.
Any statement you make that could be used to deny a future claim you make will be used against you. However, you will only need to provide basic information regarding your accident such as the time, date, and location where the accident occurred.
Regardless of who you talk to, it's important to never admit fault, you should never agree to have yourself recorded, and you should not agree to sign a medical release. Your medical records are private and protected by law. An insurance adjuster will only use your medical records to justify reducing the settlement they will offer you if their policyholder is at fault for the accident.
Meeting with a Car Accident Lawyer
Instead of talking about your accident with an insurance adjuster, you are better off talking about your accident with a car accident lawyer. Everything you say to your lawyer is confidential. The lawyer is there to represent your interests and is held to ethical standards.
Your car accident attorney will communicate with the insurance adjuster about your accident and will know how to guide the conversation in a direction that is beneficial to you. The goal of the attorney is to prove that the other party is at fault and to negotiate the highest settlement possible.
Share8 December 2022
There are so many legal situations that you can find yourself involved with, but do those situations really require that you hire an attorney? Some instances you may not need an attorney working with you, but in other situations, an attorney is definitely a necessity. This blog contains tips and advice for working through the different elements of the legal system. You will find information that can help you determine if/when you need to hire an attorney to represent your best interests. Knowing this information can help you avoid the costly mistake of taking on the legal system without someone who knows how the system works.
