Syracuse, New York Make a Statement to Insurance

Syracuse, New York: What If My Insurance Company Asks Me To Make A Statement?

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Is a Recognized Super Lawyer Who Is Committed to Providing Unparalleled Personal Injury Service. If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured in a Syracuse, New York, Car Crash That Was Not Your Fault, The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Explore Your Best Options for Effective Legal Relief.

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You cannot always avoid the car insurance company after an accident.

If you have been seriously injured, there is a good chance that you will hear from an insurance adjuster before you have had time to prepare for a meeting. Since New York is a no-fault state, the first adjuster you will talk to will probably be a representative from your own company, somebody you should be able to trust, who will honor the terms of your contract and provide the benefits you need to kickstart recovery.

However, agreeing to meet an adjuster can come at your own risk.

Car insurance companies are commercial enterprises. They have an obligation to you, but they ultimately answer only to their shareholders. Most of the time, shareholders’ priority is ensuring their investment stays profitable, and no insurance company can stay afloat if it pays every claim it deserves. Instead of having your back, an adjuster might ask you for a recorded statement, potentially seizing the opportunity to use your own words against you. In a worst-case scenario, this could mean being blamed for an accident that was not your fault, making it all the more difficult to file a personal injury lawsuit and win.

You do not have to take your chances with the insurance company. Even if you are required to provide a recorded statement or share other evidence with an adjuster, you have the right to an attorney. For more than 25 years, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has helped our clients in Syracuse and throughout the region stand up to big companies and secure the compensation they need to begin rebuilding their lives. We know what it takes to build a compelling, evidence-based case for recovery, and we have the results to prove it. Send us a message online or call Jed Dietrich, Esq., today at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to an experienced car accident lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

The Very Real Risk Of Providing A Recorded Statement After A Car Accident

New York is a no-fault state, and the first step after any accident is usually reaching out to your own car insurance company. As a general rule, no-fault coverage provides benefits irrespective of fault. Even if you caused an accident, you are still typically entitled to compensation for medical expenses and lost income, provided that your damages do not exceed your policy limits.

If your injuries are not very serious, then speaking to an adjuster might not present much of a risk. However, this dynamic changes if there is even a remote possibility that you might need more money for recovery than your insurance company is legally obliged to provide. In New York, people who have suffered certain serious injuries as a result of an accident that was not their fault usually have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit to obtain a wider range of damages. A personal injury lawsuit could help you shore up your finances, but securing a settlement or court-ordered award is almost always contingent on your ability to prove that the other driver was at least partially at-fault for the accident.

If you speak to an adjuster without an attorney present, simply using the wrong words to describe how an accident happened or the impact it had on your life could come at a steep cost.

3 Reasons To Exercise Caution When You Speak To An Insurance Adjuster

You might not be able to refuse providing a recorded statement, but you could protect your recovery by hiring a personal injury lawyer. However, asking for a recorded statement is not the only strategy an adjuster could use to tank your prospect of negotiating a fair settlement. After an accident, almost any evidence you have from your medical records to your pay stubs could become relevant during discovery and, potentially, at trial.

You should always exercise caution if and when:

1. You are asked to sign a records release. The insurance company needs to see your medical records to verify your injuries, but there is no reason whatsoever for them to gain unfettered access to your entire health history. Unfortunately, this may not stop them from trying. If you sign a blanket medical release, the insurance company could try pinning some of your accident-related complications on a pre-existing health condition. This might not impact your right to file a lawsuit, but it could easily give the at-fault driver and their insurance company reason to try driving down your damages.
2. The insurance company offers a settlement. If you file a personal injury lawsuit, you typically have to deal with two insurance companies: yours, for the initial stage of the claim, and later, the at-fault driver’s. If you have solid evidence, the insurance company might try limiting risk by offering an early settlement. These settlements are often structured to seem like good deals, including more than enough money to meet your current needs and manage mounting debt. The problem is that they often exclude the kinds of damages that you would be able to receive if you pressed your case in court.
3. You are told that hiring a lawyer will only make things more complicated. Some insurance companies try to tell accident victims that hiring a lawyer will only make their claim more difficult. Their logic is that, because most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis and only get paid if they win, lawyers will often hold out for bigger settlements. This is not quite true. The real reason that insurance companies are not always keen on attorneys is that an experienced legal professional can tell when their client is getting a raw deal. If anything, the insurance company would much prefer to negotiate with you alone; that way, it is easy for them to take shortcuts and overlook options a lawyer would never miss.

Although you cannot avoid the insurance company, you can protect your rights by hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent decades standing up to reckless drivers, multibillion-dollar insurance companies, and the best defense counsel that money can buy. Since our founding, we have helped our clients across the state secure in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message or call us today at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a car accident lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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