If a negligent driver caused your car accident in Henderson, you could suffer serious injuries that require expensive medical treatments and be off work for months or longer. Fortunately, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries from the negligent driver. However, the process of filing your claim may be much more complicated than you realize, and you will have many decisions to make before reaching a settlement with the insurance company. One important decision is whether to agree to give a recorded statement.
Do Not Agree to Give a Recorded Statement to the Insurance Company
Once the negligent driver notifies his insurance company about the car accident, the insurance adjuster will begin an investigation. One of the first requests he may make of you is to give a recorded statement. This is a question and answer session between you and the adjuster that is tape recorded and is transcribed into a written document. Even when you were not at all to blame and have nothing to hide, you should not agree to give a recorded statement. Here are some reasons to avoid it:
It is not required.
There is no requirement that you give a recorded statement when you make a claim following a Henderson auto crash in order to receive a settlement. In addition, giving one will not convince the insurance company to settle your claim more quickly or fairly. The adjuster is taking your statement to look for ways to deny or reduce your claim.
Inconsistent statements.
The adjuster will compare the answers you give in a recorded statement to statements you give to the police, your doctors, and others throughout the settlement process. If you make any inconsistent statements, the insurance company could try to use these inconsistencies to argue that you are not a credible witness.
Inadvertent errors.
Like attorneys, insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions about car accidents in ways to hopefully gain helpful information from the person being questioned. You could inadvertently give an incorrect answer or an answer you did not mean in response to a confusing question that could later be used against you in court or in settlement negotiations.
Have You Been Involved In A Car Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced Henderson car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free initial consultation.