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Home 9 Car Accidents 9 Should I Give a Statement to the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company?

Should I Give a Statement to the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company?

If another driver has collided with you, there are some things that you will want to take care of in the immediate aftermath in order to ensure that your legal rights are protected. Since you are not to blame for the accident, you might feel that you can do no wrong in the process, but this is not actually the case. Keep in mind that the other insurance company will be looking for any reason they can find to minimize the financial fallout from the accident, including the amount of money that they offer by way of a settlements. Because of this factor alone, it is not normally wise to give a statement to the faulty driver’s insurance company.

You Are Under No Obligation To Do So

While the other driver’s insurance company might attempt to get you to believe otherwise, you are under no obligation whatsoever to speak with them. This is regardless of who is at fault in the accident, but certain if it is their driver who caused the collision. This is a key point to remember. Words can be so easily misconstrued. You can become confused about a question that is asked and inadvertently say the wrong thing. Any of a number of things could go wrong when you speak to the other insurance company, so it is simply better to remain silent on the issue.

Remember that the other insurance company is only interested in looking out for their bottom line. This does run counter intuitive to how you think an insurance company should act, but remember that they represent the other driver. As such, they want to minimize their losses. They will typically only want to speak to you in order to get you to say something that could justify them offering a lower cash settlement. This could include such factors as getting you to insinuate that your injuries are less serious than they are, that you could actually be at fault to some degree, or any of another of things that paints their driver in a better light. Keep that from happening by simply refusing to take their call.

Protect Your Legal Rights

There are a number considerations that need to be taken into account when you have been in a car accident, particularly when it is not your fault. You have some legal rights, and financial compensation will almost certainly be due you depending on the severity of the accident itself. Each of these factors takes time to sort out. The faulty driver’s insurance company will often try to short circuit this process by getting you to talk to them and then offering you a quick settlement by way of check. While you might tempted to accept this in order to get your hands on some quick cash, it is usually not in your best interest to do so.

The first thing you should be focused on is getting your injuries taken care of. Insurance companies will just need to wait. Since many injuries do not manifest themselves until days or even weeks after an accident, you do not want to speak too much about what happened to you during the collision. Doctors need time to sort through your injuries. You will also have expenses that need to be taken into account including the drive to and from the doctor’s office for treatment, time away from work, car repairs, and possibly more. This is a lot for you to deal with on its own. Do not compound the situation by feeling that you need to speak to the other insurance company as well.

Contact a Professional Lawyer

If you have been involved in a car accident, do not feel that you need to navigate the entire process on your own. There is a lot to deal with, so consult with our office in order to gain some valuable input and assistance. We can deal with the insurance companies on your behalf, work to get your car repaired or replaced, ensure that your medical expenses are taken care of, and that you get the financial compensation that you deserve.

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