Are you required to and should you give a recorded statement to the insurance company?
The short answer is no and no. You are not required to give a statement to the other driver’s insurance company, period. Further, we generally recommend that you do not, especially where there was a police investigation report. The insurance adjusters know what they are doing, what to ask you and how to ask it which could come back to harm your case at a later time. There can be exceptions, and in some circumstances, if your insurance carrier requests a statement, you are sometimes required to give it as part of your “duty to cooperate” with your own insurance company.
If you were injured or suffered property damage in a collision, you might be wondering exactly how an attorney can help you — or whether it’s a good idea to try to deal with the insurance company by representing yourself. Much depends on the specific issues, but a lawyer can help you with the following:
- obtaining a rental car;
- ensuring you have the necessary and recommended medical care;
- obtain evidence regarding the collision so that a reconstruction of the accident can be performed;
- work with you doctors to make sure they provided the medical information necessary to prove the damages you have sustained consistent with the law;
- communicate with the other driver’s insurance company;
- organize and present the evidence in order to prove liability and damages
- negotiate with lien holders on your claim (such as health, disability, or workers’ compensation insurers) to potentially reduce the amount of those liens,
- and negotiate a reasonable settlement with the insurance company or defense attorney.
Since 1930 – more than 85 years – Gilbert Adams Law Offices has successfully represented thousands of individuals injured and harmed in car wrecks. We do not charge you any money unless we make a recovery on your behalf. No fee is charged on the property damage settlement regarding the damage to your vehicle.
