No, you shouldn’t feel pressured to provide a recorded statement to an insurance company after an accident. Texas follows an at-fault system for auto accidents, which means the at-fault party’s insurance company is on the hook for the costs of a crash, including your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and emotional distress.
When you file a third-party insurance claim, you’re under no obligation to provide the insurance carrier with a recorded statement. However, that won’t stop the adjuster from pressing you for information by asking for or demanding a recorded statement.
Your best bet after an accident is to consult an experienced Round Rock accident lawyer and have them take the lead on conversations with the insurance company on your behalf.
Recorded Statements Are Designed to Limit Your Financial Recovery
A recorded statement is an interview during which an insurance adjuster attempts to gain information on and insight into a recent accident. When a claim is filed, the recorded statement can be used to help establish causation, liability, contributory negligence, compensatory damages, and value.
Insurance adjusters try to pass these off as formalities of the claims process – a necessary step before you can be awarded compensation for your injuries, costs, and suffering. Adjusters often appear empathetic and ask questions that are seemingly unrelated to the accident in question.
Make no mistake – the adjuster’s questions and comments are specifically designed to gain your trust, make you comfortable, and get you to say things that can be taken out of context, twisted, and used to derail your personal injury claim.
For example, if an adjuster can get you engaged in conversation about your day and admit that you were tired from working all day, distracted by a recent argument with a family member, or angry about something that happened at work, they might try to argue that those things affected your ability to drive and that you share some of the blame for your accident.
Once you say something on the record, it’s hard to walk it back. That’s why it’s important to decline a request to provide a recorded statement and get a Round Rock car accident attorney involved before having any real conversations with the insurance adjuster.
How Insurance Companies Use Recorded Statements to Limit and Deny Claims
The insurance company will want a recorded statement as soon as possible. Why?
- You’re under a lot of stress because of your recent accident and are distracted by medical care, figuring out your work schedule, and figuring out how to make ends meet. If the insurer can take advantage of you during this stressful time to their advantage, they will.
- You’re not sure how badly you’ve been injured. In fact, you might think that you weren’t hurt at all. If you indicate this on the record, it can potentially give the adjuster a reason to devalue your claim or deny it altogether.
- The sooner they call, the less likely you’ve had time to speak with an accident attorney. Claimants with car accident lawyers realize much better outcomes in personal injury cases than those without them. The adjuster wants to get to you before you level the playing field.
Contact a Round Rock Car Accident Attorney to Schedule a Free Consultation
At the end of the day, it’s best to leave conversations with the insurance company to an experienced legal professional. At Dow Law Firm, our car accident lawyers have been fighting for accident victims and families in Texas for years.
We know insurance company tactics and understand what it takes to protect our clients’ best interests. We can help you, too, especially if you don’t hesitate to contact our car accident attorneys in Round Rock at (512) 240-9951 after your accident.