After you’ve been in a car accident in Iowa, the other driver’s insurance company will likely call you and say they want to take your recorded statement. You may think this is a good time to tell your side of the story. After all, you’re not at fault for the crash.
Your Recorded Statement Cannot Be Changed
However, once your statement has been taken, it’s impossible to change. Without realizing it, you may say something – or not say something – that could make your claim harder to prove down the line. That’s one reason to think twice before giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company.
Injuries After a Car Accident
Another reason to seriously question if you should give a recorded statement to the insurance company is that it can be damaging to your case due to the nature of injuries that typically occur after a car crash. Immediately after a crash, your adrenaline is pumping and your heart is racing. You may not notice the amount of pain you’re in. The insurance adjuster will try to contact you for a statement shortly after your accident. If you decide to give them a recorded statement, you may say during your statement that you didn’t suffer any injuries or that you’re not in any pain.
Then, a few days later, you may begin to experience stiffness, soreness, or pain. It turns out that you actually were injured from your car crash. However, your recorded statement to the insurance company says otherwise.
It will become an uphill battle to get the other driver’s insurance company to pay your medical bills. They will argue that since you said you were not injured at the time of your statement, your medical bills are a “cash grab.” This can be an uphill battle for your attorney to fight against.
Will Refusing to Give a Recorded Statement Mean Your Medical Bills Won’t Get Paid?
If the insurance company calls you to give a recorded statement, you can, and should, refuse to do so. Often, an insurance adjuster will then say “We won’t pay your bills unless you give us a recorded statement.”
Don’t be fooled. The other driver’s insurance company is not required to pay your bills unless ordered to do so by a judge after a trial. And they are unlikely to pay for anything until you are ready to settle your entire injury claim. Giving a recorded statement to the insurance company does not mean the insurance company will immediately begin to pay your medical bills. It’s likely your statement will do more harm than good.
Because these tactics are so often used to fool injured car accident victims, our firm only allows our clients to speak with the other driver’s insurance company when one of our attorneys is present. We make sure our clients are protected from the shady methods used by insurance companies.
If an insurance company is calling you for a recorded statement after a car crash, call RSH Legal today at 1-319-774-1542. One of our accident attorneys will advise you on the next steps to take.
