So, you were just t-boned by a guy who ran a red light. Your car is messed up (possibly totaled), you’re late to pick-up your child from daycare, and the pain is increasing in your back. Then all of a sudden, your phone rings and it is the insurance company for the person who hit you. What should you do? Hang Up The Phone!
Don't Talk to the Insurance Company
Everyday insurance companies receive a countless number of claims due to car accidents. In each of these cases, the insurance company for the at-fault person will call the “victim” to get their version of what happened. This is commonly known as a “recorded statement.” If this happens to you, politely tell the adjuster that you will not be talking to them and that your attorney will be calling them soon; then hang up the phone.
After a car accident, many people assume that the insurance company for the at-fault person will “do the right thing.” This could not be further from the truth. Insurance companies are for-profit corporations that exist to make money for their shareholders. Insurance companies do not exist to pay “fair” compensation for car accident caused by their insured drivers. Further, the adjusters hired by the insurance companies have one job – to minimize or deny claims wherever possible so that they can save the insurance company money.
They Will Use Your Statement Against You
Every time the insurance company receives or makes a phone call, they are recording everything you say. And just like in a criminal case, everything you say can and will be used against you. Keep in mind, the claims adjuster for the insurance company is a professional interviewer, who knows how to ask sneaky questions that are designed to trick you. Even a question as harmless as “how are you feeling today?” is a loaded question. If you give the typical response of “I’m fine”, the insurance company will definitely use your words against you to undermine the seriousness of your injuries.
This is why it is a terrible idea to speak to the insurance company after a car accident. There is no circumstance under which giving a recorded statement to the at-fault insurance company will help your case. All you will do is give them more ammunition to use against you as they craft their defense. Even though the adjuster will press you, there is no law in Georgia that requires you to give a recorded statement to the insurance company for the at-fault person. So don’t.
What to Do After an Accident
After an accident, the only statement you should give is to the police officer who responded to the scene of the accident. Your next concern should be seeking immediate medical care. You never know how injured you are nor do you know how difficult the insurance company will be. It is always safer to have an experienced trial attorney on your side to take the stress away and guide you through the difficult process of physical and financial recovery.
We Can Help with Your Accident Case
Don’t fall for the tricks of the greedy insurance companies. Instead of giving a recorded statement to the adjuster for the at-fault insurance company, call 833-4TheWin to speak with one of the experienced personal injury attorneys from Georgia Trial Attorneys. We are car accident attorneys who repair shattered lives and maximize recovery.