In the days following an Oklahoma car wreck, you are almost certain to be contacted by the at-fault driver’s insurance company. While many of these representatives are pleasant when speaking with you, the fact that you are receiving phone calls from an insurance company you do not do business with asking about your car crash can be unnerving. For some car crash victims, they respond to this situation by hiring an attorney to represent them: once an attorney has been hired, any questions the insurance company may have are directed to the victim’s attorney.
For other victims, however, the need for an experienced and skilled advocate may not seem as important. They may not see anything wrong about talking about their crash with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Yet, as Michael Carr of the Oklahoma car accident law firm Carr & Carr explains, it is still a good idea to talk with an attorney before you speak with the insurance company.
Dangers of Speaking with the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
In almost every instance, the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier contacts you, the car crash victim, for one purpose – to try to uncover information that might suggest you (as opposed to its client) is responsible for causing the crash – either in whole or in part. To do this, they may ask you questions over the phone about how the crash occurred or specific details about the crash (i.e., whether you had a green light or a red light before you passed through the intersection). Expect that the representative will be taking copious notes concerning your responses. The representative may ask you to provide a recorded statement over the phone. In Oklahoma, there is no requirement that says you must consent to making a recorded statement. If you do, (again) expect that your recorded statement will be used against you to limit your recovery.
How Does an Attorney Help Me Prepare for Speaking with the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?
Carr and Carr can assist you in preparing to speak with the other driver’s insurance company by revealing some of the questions you may be asked and how to properly respond to those questions. Your attorney will review things you should – and should not – say during your phone call. Your attorney will also go over your rights and how you can assert them if you believe the representative is too aggressive during the call. (If you would like, your attorney can even provide a statement to the insurance company on your behalf.) Of course, one thing your attorney cannot do – and should not do – is to advise you to lie or fabricate facts during your phone call.
Having your attorney assist you in this manner can take much of the stress and angst associated with speaking with an insurance company’s representative away. This can make you more confident and sound more assured of the answers you give to the insurance representative.
Carr & Carr is Available for Oklahoma Car Crash Injury Victims
If you or a loved one have been injured in an Oklahoma car crash, turn to Carr & Carr Injury Attorneys for assistance in handling all aspects of your recovery claim. We can assist you in dealing with insurance representatives and adjustors so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries and getting your life back in order. We have over 50 years of experience representing numerous car crash clients in Tulsa and throughout Oklahoma. Call our firm right away at (918) 747-1000 for help with your car crash recovery claim.