What is a recorded statement, and why is my insurer asking for one?

How you handle the aftermath of a car accident determines the strength of an insurance claim, as well as a civil lawsuit. You start by calling 911, unless the vehicle collision resulted in minor damages and injuries. Then, you seek medical care if you sustained serious injuries. If you feel up to it, you should remain at the scene of the accident to gather evidence and obtain the contact information of witnesses.  Eventually, you need to visit with a physician to document any injuries. Contacting an experienced personal injury attorney from Morgan and Morgan helps you submit the most persuasive insurance claim. Your personal injury lawyer also explains that your insurance company might ask you to submit a recorded statement.

What is a recorded statement and why is my insurer asking for one? When you contact your insurance company after meeting with one of the personal injury attorneys at Morgan and Morgan, you provide a detailed explanation of what happened before, during, and after the vehicle collision. The insurance adjuster that you contact might want you to provide a recorded statement for legal purposes. Before you agree to give a recorded statement, you should discuss the pros and cons of giving a recorded statement with your personal injury lawyer.

For more than 30 years, the personal injury lawyers at Morgan and Morgan have provided legal support for clients that sustained injuries and property damage as a result of a car accident. We have recovered more than $14 million in monetary damages for personal injury cases, of which some of the compensation came from favorable car accident lawsuit rulings. One of the services that our team of personal injury attorneys offers is advice on how to handle a request to give a recorded statement

Schedule a free case evaluation with a lawyer from Morgan and Morgan before you contact your insurance company.

What Is a Recorded Statement?

A recorded statement represents a recording that provides details about the events leading up to and following an auto collision. Insurance companies want a recorded statement to obtain a better understanding of which party should assume fault for causing an accident. Your insurance company records the statement and then transcribes it by writing everything down into a report. Because your insurance company obtains both a verbal and written account of the vehicle collision, the company can use the recorded statement to diminish the validity of your claim.

A recorded statement acts as a tangible piece of evidence. If any section of your insurance claim goes against what you say in the recorded statement, your insurance company has a compelling reason either to deny your claim or approve a claim that is valued much less than what you expect to receive for compensation. You have to be careful when providing a recorded statement because the insurance adjuster conducting the interview might ask trick questions in an attempt to trap you into making statements that contradict the information that you provided in the insurance claim.

Do I Have to Provide a Recorded Statement?

If you file a claim with another party’s insurance company, you do not have to provide the insurance company with a recorded statement. Only your insurance company can ask for a recorded statement if you file a claim. Although you do not have to record a statement for your insurance company as required by a state statute, your policy might contain a clause that requires you to cooperate with an investigation of your claim that might include giving a recorded statement. If you decide to provide a recorded statement, you should consult with one of the personal injury attorneys at Morgan and Morgan to help you prepare for the meeting with an insurance adjuster.

Most personal injury attorneys agree that giving a recorded statement is not a good idea for several reasons. First, the insurance adjuster that you meet with might try to trick you into presenting a story that is inconsistent with the information submitted with your insurance claim. Second, a recorded statement is a great opportunity for an insurance adjuster to minimize the severity of your injuries. Third, the insurance adjuster might try to trick you into divulging too much information, such as discussing a previous injury that is similar to the one you sustained as the result of the vehicle collision.

How Do I Prepare to Give a Statement to My Insurance Company?

Knowing what to expect when you give a recorded statement to your insurance company represents an important element in preparing to give the statement. After you file a claim, an insurance adjuster contacts you to ask for a recorded statement. At this point, you should speak with your Morgan and Morgan personal injury before deciding whether to record a statement.

If you agree to provide a recorded statement, you start by describing what occurred before, during, and after the collision. Your verbal presentation should closely mirror the information you presented in your insurance claim. After your presentation, the insurance adjuster starts asking questions based on the information provided in your presentation. You should stick to the facts of your case and give short, informative answers. Your personal injury lawyer from Morgan and Morgan can help you prepare a recorded statement to get you ready when the time comes to record your statement.

Learn more about a recorded statement, as well as the pros and cons of giving one, by scheduling a free case evaluation with a personal injury attorney from Morgan and Morgan.