After an auto accident, the car insurance company may contact you to get a statement about the incident. As sympathetic as the vehicle insurance adjuster may seem, you should expect that any and all comments made in these conversations can often be used against you by the car insurance adjuster. Below are a few common remarks of what you should avoid making if you were hurt in a vehicle crash due to someone else’s negligence or possibly an accident caused at a fault of your own. Make sure that you speak to an auto accident attorney as soon as you have a car accident.
Many states, including Louisiana, operate under a “no-fault” insurance system which requires injured drivers to file claims against their own insurance company. However, you may be able to hold the liable driver of the vehicle most responsible for damages to you and the vehicle exceeding a certain amount. To protect your rights after the car accident, you must make it a point to avoid claiming responsibility for the car accident or making an apology for the car crash. When describing the auto accident incident, make it a point to simply AND only relay the facts of the incident without speaking with an attorney to make your own interpretation of the car crash.
To be polite, many people downplay their discomfort. However, the full extent of your injuries may not emerge until days later. If you have already told the vehicle insurance company you were not hurt in the car crash, the insurance adjuster may dispute any responsibility for the vehicle damages. Seeing a chiropractor before talking to an auto insurance adjuster will ensure that you have all the necessary information to determine who will pay the insurance claim.
Before speaking with the car insurance company, always consult with a personal injury attorney who has the expertise to explain your rights. Insurance adjusters often make settlement offers far below the actual damages, and may refuse to negotiate with victims who lack legal representation. An auto accident lawyer will have the skills, knowledge and resources to discuss the legal matter with them on your behalf and maximize the value of the auto insurance claim made by you, the insured or the person not at fault in the car accident.
