When you’re injured in a car accident, nothing is more important than getting the medical care you need to ensure a full recovery. Unfortunately, medical care – including rehabilitative care and occupational therapy – isn’t free, and you can be stuck with the bill if your insurance doesn’t pay out.
You can count on the insurance companies to look for every reason to avoid paying out. After all, their business is built on avoiding liability for a policyholder’s injuries or the injuries a policyholder caused to someone else. For this basic reason, you should be on guard anytime you’re required to interact with a representative from any insurance company when it concerns your car accident injuries.
That said, there are some basic things to avoid saying that can help you protect your claim. Keep reading to learn more, then contact a lawyer from the Paulsen Law Group for personalized legal guidance.
1. “I’m Fine” or “I’m OK”
Regardless of how you feel immediately after a car accident, never tell the insurance adjuster that you’re “fine” or “OK.” You might be used to answering questions such as “How are you?” or “How do you feel?” with these answers, and it’s a very common thing that most Americans do – but now’s not the time to utter these throw-away replies.
The real threat of saying you’re fine or OK off the cuff comes from how insurance companies can interpret statements like these. If you said you were fine, the reasoning goes, then you didn’t really need all of this medical care. That gives the insurance companies a reason to pay less or deny your claim altogether!
2. “It Was My Fault” or “I Should Have…” Statements
You must avoid saying anything that can be used to pin blame on you for the accident. It might be simple enough to avoid saying it was your fault, but you might start to formulate an “I should have…” statement when discussing the cause of the accident with the adjuster. This is natural, but you must be on your guard and avoid it as much as possible!
3. “You Can Record Me”
Never let an insurance adjuster record you – ever! Not only can you safely refuse to record a statement, but should always do so. Your recorded statement is set in stone, which means that any changes to your statement that occur over time due to recalling or forgetting information can poke holes in your claim.
The more your “story” (for lack of a better term) changes, the more suspicious the insurance companies become and the less likely they’ll be to pay out what you deserve.
4. “You Can Look at My Medical Records” or Discussion About Your Injuries
The more information you willingly give to your insurance company about your injuries, the more information they have that they can potentially use against your claim. You don’t have to let your insurance company review your medical records – that may only be necessary if your claim proceeds to a lawsuit against your insurance company, but that’s a discussion you should have with your lawyer.
Also, refrain from discussing your injuries or providing information about them to an insurance adjuster. Even informal statements you make can be used to reduce the payout for your claim or deny it altogether.
5. “I Think…” Statements & Speculation
Finally, avoid any statements that speculate on how the accident happened or the extent and nature of your injuries. You can count on the insurance adjuster to record these details, and if they don’t match up with the facts of your claim, you can inadvertently set yourself up for a denial.
Contact a Lawyer for Help
When you’re injured in an accident and must deal with your insurance company, immediately contact Paulsen Law Group for help. Our lawyer has many years of experience helping clients pursue the compensation they should have received from their insurance companies after an accident.
We fight hard for our clients and ensure the details of their personal injury claims are taken into account. With our focus on personalized legal representation, we’re confident we can help you secure a better outcome.
Contact Paulsen Law Group online now to request a free consultation.