After being involved in a car crash, you will report the accident to your insurance company. The insurer will ask you to provide the details about what happened and ask you to give a recorded statement.
A recorded statement is either an audio or video interview between the insurance adjuster and the policyholder. During the interview, the insurance adjuster asks several questions about the accident, including but not limited to:
- What did you do before the collision?
- What did you see before the crash occurred?
- What happened a few seconds leading up to the accident?
You may be asked to provide a recorded statement immediately after the crash or days or weeks later. However, it is not advised to give a recorded statement if you have not consulted with a personal injury attorney first.
Why You Shouldn’t Give a Recorded Statement After a Car Accident
Even if the other party is at fault for the collision and you did not contribute to the accident, it is still not recommended to give a recorded statement until you have sought legal counsel. There are three reasons why you should avoid submitting a recorded statement to your insurer.
- You Have a Right to Refuse
The insurance adjuster may say that your personal injury claim cannot be processed without a recorded statement or that giving a statement will speed up the claims process. However, you have a right to refuse to give the statement.
Insurance companies are not looking out for your rights. They are trying to use your recorded statement to catch inconsistencies in your story in order to undervalue or deny your claim. For this reason, you need to speak with a Lakeland car accident attorney to protect your legal rights and handle communications with the insurer in the most efficient manner without hurting your claim.
- The Insurer Can Use Your Words Against You
Insurance adjusters may ask questions in such a way that the injured person can make critical mistakes. They are also trained to influence you into saying something that might give them an excuse to pay you as little as possible or reject your claim altogether.
After a car accident, you may be disoriented and overwhelmed. Insurance adjusters may take advantage of your shock or pain to get you to say things that will later hurt your claim.
- Fault May Not Matter in Your Car Accident
Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, which means your insurance company will cover your damages and losses up to the policy limits. Unless your damages exceed $10,000, fault may not matter in your car accident. Thus, there is no reason to give a recorded statement. Your insurer has an obligation to pay your damages regardless of fault.
Before you sign any documents or agree to give a recorded statement to your insurance adjuster, we strongly suggest that you consult a lawyer. Here at The Turnbull Firm, our Lakeland personal injury attorney will fight for your maximum compensation in your case and protect you from making statements that could hurt your case. Call at 863-324-3500 to schedule a consultation.