After an auto accident, you can contact the other driver’s insurance company directly to file a claim, or you can hire an car accident lawyer to make the call for you. If you decide to make the call yourself, be careful what you say.
When you call the insurance company, give them only the basic information needed to file a claim. Do not say “I was not injured” because your symptoms may not surface until a few days later. Also, do not provide information that the insurance company could use later to argue that you were at fault in the accident.
Above all, no matter what the insurance company of the person who caused the accident says, do not allow the insurance company of the person who caused the accident to record your statement. You are not required to give that insurance company a recorded statement and they cannot deny your claim because you decline to give them a recorded statement. Insurance companies want to record statements so they can use them against you later.
If your own insurance company asks you for a recorded statement, however, you are required to give a recorded statement. You can give your own insurance company a recorded statement because they generally have a duty to help you and not use your recorded statement against you. The insurance company of the person who caused the accident has no such duty to you and it may use your recorded statement to try to deny or reduce the value of your claim.
You can obtain a free download of a book by car accident attorney John P. Burns named 9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your California Car Accident Case to learn more about this and related car accident issues.
At the Law Offices of John P. Burns, we effectively handle your car accident claim so you can focus on recovering emotionally and physically without dealing with the details. It’s free to ask questions, so contact us directly at 949-496-7000, or email us at john@johnburnslaw.com. We’ll be sure to get back to you within 24 hours.