Primer on Recorded Statements: Insurance Adjuster Prep Work for Accident Victims

Julie Johnson
April 22, 2015

If you’ve been in a car accident in Dallas that results in any damage whatsoever, you’ll need to report the accident to your car insurance company as soon as possible. Next, you’ll be asked to give a recorded statement. The insurance adjuster will be your next hurdle although most accident victims don’t know this.

You don’t have to give a recorded statement to another person’s insurance company. Yours is a little trickier. Even though you hired the insurance company as your representative, they still act as a separate entity from you and hold their interests to heart. Their job is to discern if the cause of the accident — an event that will cost their company money — was you.

Thus, any evidence that they can obtain pointing to your fault for the accident will aid them in decreasing your payout and keeping money in their coffers. There’s a reason they say ‘deny’ is an insurance company’s favorite word. Here are the things that you should never say to an insurance adjuster, as well as advice on when you should or should not give a recorded statement.

Things You Should Never Say To An Insurance Adjuster

When talking with your insurance adjuster, you’ll need to provide details about how the accident happened, the parties involved, and whether or not you incurred any medical expenses or property damage.

While all of the above is pertinent to recovering compensation under your policy, the following is a list of a few things you should never say when speaking with your insurance adjuster.

  • “I’m sorry.” Saying I’m sorry may be used as an admission of guilt
  • “It was my fault.” If you say anything about the accident being your fault or admit to any wrongdoing, like speeding, you    may harm your chances of recovering compensation
  • “I’m fine.” If you tell the adjuster that you’re fine or okay, you may be implying that your injuries aren’t serious
  • “I think…” All statements that you give to an insurance adjuster should be factual; don’t make any opinion statements
  • “I don’t have an attorney.” If you tell your insurance adjuster that you don’t have an attorney, they may assume that you’re easier to manipulate and will accept a lower offer
  • “I accept.” Never accept an insurance adjuster’s first settlement offer, especially without talking to an attorney first.

The Insurance Adjuster Wants A Recorded Statement. Should I Give One?

In most cases, giving a recorded statement is ill-advised. That’s because if you give a recorded statement, it may be used against you at a later date to contradict something else you say or a fact about the accident. Ask to fill out any necessary forms and tell him or her that you will speak at length to them through your Dallas car crash attorney.

How An Attorney Can Help After A Dallas Car Accident

If you have questions about whether or not you’ll be covered by your Dallas car insurance, call our attorney Julie Johnson at the Law Office of Julie Johnson PLLC. We’ll get you started on all you need to know about the aftermath of car accident by providing you with a free case consultation. Reach us now at 214-290-8001.

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