One of the biggest mistakes we see in personal injury cases involve statements made to an insurance company. Whether the insurance agent is representing your policy or the other party’s, one wrong word can make or break your case. Your attorney would never tell you to be dishonest, but insurance agents have tricky ways of making you say something that may not be in your best interest. Here are just a few things you should never say to an insurance company.
1) “My guess is….”
Don’t ever guess what happened in your case. Avoid using statements that begin with “I think…” and “I guess…” They will attempt to invite uncertainty into what happened with the case. If you don’t know the answer, reply with, “I don’t know.” It is undoubtedly normal not to remember or know what happened in an accident, especially if you were injured.
2) “This was my fault.”
While you may feel guilty about some aspect of the accident, you should never admit fault to anyone. This includes police officers, the other party, but especially the insurance companies involved. You don’t know whether the other party contributed partially or entirely to your accident. Do not admit any fault for the accident to anyone who talks to you regarding your case.
3) “I wasn’t injured.”
When an adjuster asks a client for a statement directly after an accident, they may not know the full extent of their injuries. It isn’t uncommon for injuries to pop up weeks or months after a serious accident. Do not tell any insurance agent or adjuster that you weren’t injured or hurt until you have been thoroughly cleared by a medical professional and after a period has passed where you are confident that no future injuries will manifest themselves.
If you have questions about what you should and should not say to an insurance company, you will need to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney. Contact Gomerman | Bourn & Associates to schedule a FREE attorney consultation. Call (415) 545-8608 today!