February 21, 2018 | Car Accidents
After a car accident that someone else caused, chances are that you will deal with the other driver’s insurance company to cover any losses you sustained. Initially, you may feel pressured to talk to the other company because of the situation with a vehicle and to obtain transportation. If you are calling about medical bills, they aren’t going to pay anything anyway until you sign a full and final release for your injuries. An attorney can help you review your options with your medical bills until you are ready to settle.
As an accident victim, keep in mind that the other driver’s insurance company is doing everything it can to minimize the amount it will pay you, and will even completely deny your claim if it can find any justification to do so.
A favorite tactic of many auto insurers is to pressure accident victims into giving a recorded statement about the way the accident occurred. Insurance companies will often suggest that they have a “right” to obtain a statement from the victim before they pay out or that giving a statement will somehow expedite the claims process so that you get your money sooner.
As an accident victim, you are under no obligation to give the insurance company a recorded statement. In fact, you should avoid saying anything about your accident until you have had a chance to talk to a lawyer—and then, let your lawyer do the talking.
The main reason that insurance companies ask victims to provide statements is that they hope victims will say something that indicates that they were partially or completely at fault for the accident and justify reducing the amount they have to pay—or denying the claim completely. There are several other ways they can reduce the amount they pay by asking you to answer seemingly harmless personal questions before they help you.
Protect Your Rights by Retaining Attorney Merry Fountain
Because insurance company representatives often engage in tactics that are intended to get victims to inadvertently admit liability, retain a lawyer as soon as you can after you are involved in an accident. Your attorney will communicate with the insurance company on your behalf and protect your rights during the entire settlement process. In the event that the insurance company refuses to make a reasonable offer, your lawyer will likely file a civil lawsuit against the driver who caused your accident to ensure that you receive compensation for your losses.
Don’t make the mistake of talking to the insurance company before you learn your rights. I’ve had many people call me seeking help after it is too late. Sadly, these people all thought they had a clear cut situation and trusted the insurance company to help them.
If you want to test this out, go ahead and call the other person’s insurance company and ask them to help you without giving a statement.
At the Fountain Law Firm, we represent all of our personal injury clients on a contingent-fee basis, which means that we will not collect any legal fees unless we successfully recover compensation on your behalf. If you do not obtain a settlement or award, you will not owe the firm anything—period. In addition, we will review the facts of your accident at no cost to you, meaning that there is absolutely no risk associated in seeking representation to learn whether you have a claim.
Call Indiana Personal Injury Attorney Merry Fountain Today for a Free Consultation
Indianapolis car accident lawyer Merry Fountain is a skilled injury advocate. If you are looking for an injury law attorney in the greater Indy area—Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, Zionsville, Brownsburg, Avon, Kokomo, Lebanon—she’s here to help. Call her anytime at 1-888-242-HURT (4878), or simply click Tell Us About Your Case for a free consultation.