North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates
If you or somebody you care about has been involved in a vehicle accident, you will most likely have to deal with insurance carriers in the aftermath. This is particularly true if there has been significant property damage, injuries, or a fatality. The vast majority of vehicle accidents are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers, but that does not mean the process will be easy. Often, victims will be asked to give a recorded statement to an insurance carrier.
Here, our team of Chicago car accident lawyers want to discuss why you should never give a recorded statement to insurance carriers, how they can use this information against you, and whether or not you need an attorney for your case.
Is Giving A Recorded Statement Required By Illinois Law?
You will find various laws in the compiled Illinois statutes related to what drivers must do in the aftermath of being involved in a collision. One thing you will not find is a requirement that any party involved in a crash give a recorded statement to their insurance carrier or any other person’s insurance carrier. This is important for those involved in a car accident to understand. Even though insurance carriers will make it seem like you are obligated to give a recorded statement, you do not have to do so.
How Can A Recorded Statement Be Used Against You In An Injury Claim?
There are a variety of ways that insurance carriers can use recorded statements against those involved in vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, insurance carriers almost certainly will use any information that benefits them to limit the amount of money they payout in a settlement. They will even deny a claim if they think they can get away with it.
Many people who are not at fault in a car accident think that it is okay for them to speak to the insurance carrier or give a recorded statement. After all, if you did nothing wrong, there should be no problem talking to the insurance carrier. Right?
Wrong.
Insurance Adjusters Are Trained To Have You Admit Fault
Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions and carry out conversations in a way that gets the person they are talking with to admit fault to things without them even realizing they are doing so. The insurance adjusters are trying to get people to say things in a recorded statement that can be used against them by the insurance carrier. Most insurance claims adjusters, even those for the other parties involved, are going to seem incredibly friendly. This is a tactic meant to get you to lower your guard and talk freely with them about things related to both the vehicle accident and everyday casual conversation.
For example, you may be speaking about the previous night’s football game one minute and then discussing when you checked the game’s score.
“What was that?” asked the insurance claims adjuster, “You said you checked the score at 6:30? You were driving then. That was moments before the crash occurred.”
Suddenly, you have inadvertently admitted to possibly driving while distracted right before the vehicle accident in question. You can be sure that the insurance claims adjuster will pass this information to the insurance carrier and that they may reduce your settlement or deny the claim altogether by saying you were distracted and caused the accident.
Work With An Attorney
If you are injured or sustained significant property damage in a vehicle crash caused by another driver, you need to speak with a Chicago personal injury attorney about your case as soon as possible. A skilled lawyer will understand this process and be able to help you get through this. They will handle conversations with insurance carriers so you will not make any mistakes when working to obtain maximum compensation.