Should I give a Statement to the Insurance Company?
You should NOT give a statement to an insurance company until you have consulted with an experienced personal injury lawyer. If you are going to give a statement to an insurance company it should only be done in the presence of an attorney (this can be done in a conference call setting or in person).
It is important that you understand the perspective of the person who is asking you questions on the phone and that you are prepared to answer the questions appropriately. A personal injury attorney can help you be prepared.
Why is the Insurance Company calling me? The insurance company is calling you with the goal of figuring out what is the least amount of money they can pay you to resolve their claim. There are three areas that they will inquire into, each of which is covered in the related post here “Do I have a case and What is it worth?” (link). The insurance company will first try to get you to say it is not their insured’s fault. Then they will try to get you to say it is your fault. After that they will try to get you to say you were not hurt, or if so, only a little and its most better by the time of the call. Then they will ask you if there is something else that is going on that may be responsible for the pain that you have. Hopefully, it is clear that a wrong answer to one of these questions could be devastating to your case.
You have the right and the ability to be represented during this very early stage of the case. You should take full advantage of your rights and opportunities and be sure you are properly represented at ALL stages of your personal injury case. Even if you don’t hire a personal injury lawyer, you need to consult with one in order to ensure that your rights are protected. Consultation is free.