It’s common practice for insurance adjusters to pressure victims to give recorded statements soon after accidents. Don’t give a recorded statement without consulting our lawyers, as you could misspeak when answering the insurance adjuster’s questions.
Insurance adjusters push for recorded statements so they can lock in the victim’s account of events right away. Victims who omit certain information or make accidentally contradictory statements could jeopardize their recoveries. You don’t have to agree to give a recorded statement, even if you face pressure from an insurance adjuster. Rather than giving a recorded statement, you can defer all communication with the insurance company to our lawyers.
Call the Dallas car accident lawyers of The Queenan Law Firm for your free case review at (817) 476-1797.
Why Do Insurance Adjusters Push for Recorded Statements?
Insurance adjusters are motivated to get recorded statements from victims as soon as possible. Accounts given in the accident’s aftermath might be contradictory or incomplete, and insurance adjusters try to use a victim’s residual stress to their advantage.
Lock in Your Statement
Insurance adjusters push for recorded statements early to lock in the victim’s statements. If you give a recorded statement right away, you may still be reeling from the crash and fail to include important details you remember later.
Don’t agree to make a recorded statement, especially not before reviewing the accident with our lawyers and confirming the sequence of events. Insurers might look for any inconsistencies between your recorded statement and the police report or medical records as a reason to deny or underpay your claim.
Downplay Your Injuries
You may not realize the full extent of your injuries for several days or weeks after the accident. Insurance companies sometimes push for recorded statements early so that they can downplay the severity of the victim’s injuries before they are fully understood. Don’t make any statements about your injuries until you know their full extent.
Get Fault Admissions
Contributing to an accident can affect a victim’s compensation in most states. Insurance companies might try to use this to their advantage by asking leading questions and encouraging victims to accept partial fault when making recorded statements.
Even if you do not directly accept liability during a recorded statement but are generally apologetic about the accident, an insurer might use that as an excuse to minimize the claim.
Do You Have to Give a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Adjuster?
Insurance adjusters typically ask victims filing claims to give recorded statements about the accident that injured them. Just because an adjuster asks you to give a recorded statement does not mean you have to comply.
You don’t need to give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster for your claim. Individuals filing claims with their own insurance companies have a duty to cooperate with their insurers. They may prepare a written statement instead of a recorded one.
Should You Give a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Adjuster?
Giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters may seem harmless if you know you were the victim of a recent auto accident. Even if you are not at all at fault, giving a recorded statement could compromise your case without you realizing it.
You shouldn’t give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster, especially without preparing with our lawyers. Insurance adjusters might ask leading questions that could affect your recovery if you misspeak in response. Don’t assume that the adjuster also sees the claim as clearly as you do, and recount what happened with the adjuster.
What if You Give a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Adjuster?
If you have already given a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster after an accident, our lawyers can still help you get fair compensation by reviewing the transcript and contacting the adjuster to make any corrections.
Our lawyers can request a copy of the transcript of your recorded statement and take over all communications with the insurance company. We can address possible contradictions with supporting evidence and clarify any mistakes you made in the original statement.
Your recorded statement will become part of the permanent record of your claim. It doesn’t automatically compromise your case, so don’t let giving a recorded statement stop you from seeking fair damages from insurance.
FAQs About Dealing with Insurance Adjusters After Accidents
What Questions Can You Expect from an Insurance Adjuster?
In addition to asking whether or not you will give a recorded statement, the adjuster may ask questions about the accident, your reactions to another driver’s negligence, your injuries and other damages, and other leading questions to try to make you misspeak or accept some liability.
What if an Insurance Adjuster Pressures You to Make a Recorded Statement?
If an insurance adjuster pressures you to make a recorded statement after an accident, reaffirm your refusal and redirect the adjuster to our Abilene, TX car accident lawyers. Do not agree to make a recorded statement, even if the adjuster seems to be on your side and agrees that you are not at fault.
Can an Insurance Adjuster Record Your Statement without Your Permission?
Whether an insurance adjuster can record your statements without your permission depends on whether your state has one- or two-party consent laws. Keep that in mind when speaking with an insurance adjuster over the phone.
Can You Get Rid of a Recorded Statement Given to Insurance?
Recorded statements become a permanent part of the claim file. You cannot get rid of a recorded statement, but our lawyers can clarify it.
Do You Need a Lawyer to Deal with Insurance Adjusters After Accidents?
Our lawyers can deal with insurance adjusters after accidents to stop victims from intentionally accepting some liability or compromising their recoveries in other ways.
Get Our Help After an Accident
Call The Queenan Law Firm at (817) 476-1797 for a free case assessment from our Fort Worth, TX car accident lawyers.