Don’t Talk to an Insurance Company After a Car Accident

If you were recently involved in a motor vehicle collision in which another party was at fault, there is a strong likelihood that the at-fault party’s insurance company will contact you in the near future. The insurance adjuster may be very polite and give the impression that they are concerned about you and your well-being, which can lull you into a false sense of security that leads to a conversation that you should not have. As attorney Ryan Reed explains on the latest episode of Lawyer Podcast, talking to an insurance company after an accident is not in your best interest and may ultimately delay or devalue your claim. The best way to prevent an insurance company from taking advantage of you following a car crash is to schedule a free consultation with the team at Reed & Reed before speaking to an insurance adjuster.

What to Expect Following a Florida Car Crash

In the aftermath of a car crash, it is common to feel a wide range of emotions, including confusion about what happens next. If you were injured, and the other driver caused or contributed to the crash, an adjuster from the at-fault driver’s insurance company will likely attempt to contact you within a matter of days after the crash. The adjuster will probably appear friendly, helpful, and even concerned about your injuries. You may be asked to provide a statement to “help resolve your claim” or to “make sure your version of events is on record.” Regardless of the precise words used, the adjuster’s goal is to get you to talk without a lawyer and, ideally, to convince you to accept a settlement for much less than your claim could be worth.

What You Need to Understand about Insurance Companies

To understand why you should not talk to an insurance company following a collision, it helps to remember that an insurance company is a business. Just like other businesses, they need to turn a profit every year to remain afloat. Consequently, while an insurance company may have a legal obligation to compensate a victim if their insured was at fault in a crash, they have every incentive to minimize the amount of compensation they pay the victim. Better yet, if they can avoid accepting liability for the crash, they can avoid paying compensation altogether. The insurance adjuster that contacts you following a crash is the first line of defense for the insurance company, and it is their job to do everything they can to avoid accepting liability and/or diminish the value of the claim if their insured is ultimately liable.

Why Shouldn’t I Talk to the Insurance Company After an Accident?

If this is your first time dealing with the aftermath of a car crash, you will likely feel overwhelmed and intimidated at the prospect of navigating the claims process. Having an adjuster for the at-fault driver’s insurance company contact you and offer to help resolve your claim may initially seem like a blessing, but talking to the adjuster will undoubtedly do you more harm than good in the long run.

The adjuster will probably ask to record your statement or “version of events.” If you provide a recorded statement right after the crash, you may be locked into that version of events, even if it is incomplete, inaccurate, or coerced. You may be suffering from shock or physical pain that can make details of the crash unclear. Moreover, you may not yet know the full extent of your injuries, providing yet another reason to hold off communicating with the insurance company. It is imperative to understand that you are under no legal obligation to speak to the adjuster and politely refusing to provide a statement will not hurt your case.

Another concern when speaking to insurance adjusters is the possibility that something you say will be taken out of context. Adjusters are basically trained interrogators that know how to ask questions that elicit responses favorable to their position. They will ask seemingly harmless questions to try and get you to say something that shifts some of the blame onto you or that minimizes your injuries. Even a friendly question such as “How are you feeling today?” can be a minefield. If you are polite and respond with a common “I’m fine, thank you,” that could be used to argue that your injuries were not serious. The best way to avoid these common traps is to let an experienced car accident attorney be your voice following a car crash.

Another reason that insurance adjusters contact victims shortly after a crash is to try and get them to accept a token settlement quickly and quietly, before they can consult with an attorney and realize what their case may truly be worth. If you have never before been involved in a personal injury claim, you may be tempted to accept whatever the adjuster offers you because you may need the money. Insurance companies know that victims are frequently facing financial struggles because of lost wages and a check for a few thousand dollars right now can be enticing. If you accept that money though, you cannot come back later and ask for more, even if you discover significant injuries that did not exhibit symptoms right away. If an adjuster is trying to pressure you into accepting a quick settlement, the odds are high that your case is worth considerably more than they are offering this early.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident?

The only way to ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive a full and fair settlement for all your injuries after a car accident is to consult an experienced car accident attorney immediately. If you are contacted by the at-fault party’s insurance company, politely decline to speak to the adjuster. Instead, schedule a free initial consultation with the experienced personal injury attorneys at Reed & Reed.