Giving a Recorded Statement After a Bicycle Accident
Giving a recorded statement after a bicycle accident could have a negative effect on your ability to recover compensation. Learn why in this video.
Question:
Should I speak to an insurance company after a bicycle accident?
Answer:
After being involved in a bicycle accident, is it a good idea to talk to an insurance company? We had this same question from this man who was involved in a bicycle accident on Peach Orchard Road. He was in the hospital, and his medical bills were piling up, and he wanted to know if he was supposed to speak to the insurance company. You might be in a similar position and have the same question. The answer is no— you should never speak to an insurance company prior to hiring an attorney.
The only reason an insurance company wants to talk to you is to, number one, determine the validity of your claim and, two, if it is a valid claim, to discredit that claim. Adjusters are experienced in asking questions to victims in bicycle accidents, or any other type of personal injury accidents, that are designed to actually discredit your claim. There is a particular order that they ask the questions, too. Questions that might seem innocent on their face, such as, “Did you see the car before it struck you?”, “What did you do right after the car hit your bicycle?” ,“What pain did you experience?”, or “How bad was the pain?” may all seem like innocent questions to determine how badly you’re injured and how much money the insurance company should pay you. In reality, though, the insurance company has already probably spoken to its own insured. They don’t really care about your description of the events unless it can help them not have to pay you money.
The insurance company is not going to be as worried about your injuries; they want to know early on what your injuries are so that if you develop injuries later on, they can use your earlier statements against you and say, “Well, you didn’t complain about knee pain when we spoke to you on the phone, when you gave your recorded statement. You didn’t complain about left leg pain; you said your right leg was in pain.” These are real things that happen to people.
If you’re watching at home, I would urge you to remember that you’re under no obligation to speak to an insurance company. You do not have a contract with the insurance company that insures the person who actually caused your accident. While you may have some requirements under a contract you have with your own insurance company, to be honest, you don’t want to deal with either one of them. You don’t want to engage either insurance company without having an attorney. If you are in that position right now and you have any questions about what to do, we would be more than happy to sit down, go over your claim, and answer any questions that you might have.
Were you or a loved one seriously injured in a bicycle accident and have questions about speaking to an insurance company?
Contact the experienced Augusta bicycle accident lawyers at Malchow Johnson Injury Lawyers, today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Let our experience and dedication work for you.
Like Us on Facebook
