After being involved in a Central Florida truck accident, you should immediately notify your insurance company. They’re going to need to open a claim to document your injuries, lost work hours, and other financial concerns related to your truck accident. Within days, you may start getting calls from both your insurance company and the truck driver’s insurance company.
Calls from insurance companies are not to be taken lightly. There are a lot of questions that will be asked, and many ways to answer them. During these information-gathering stages, you should seek the guidance of an experienced Central Florida truck accident attorney.
What will the insurance company ask me?
A representative from the insurance company, sometimes called a claims adjuster or investigator, will be contacting you for a recorded statement about your truck accident. This is a question-and-answer session that may seem like a simple fact-finding interview. Do not allow the insurance adjustor to record your conversation. The truth is that the adjuster really wants you to make damaging statements about your claim.
The insurance company will ask you basics like:
- how you feel as a result of your injuries
- what you were doing in the car before the truck accident
- what happened immediately following the truck accident
- how your injuries are impacting your daily life
- what medical treatments you have been receiving
- what non-medical damages you have suffered from the truck accident
The truck driver’s insurance company may also ask for a medical authorization form from you. Do NOT authorize this, as it will give them access to your complete medical history . If you hire a Florida truck accident attorney to handle your case, your attorney will take over all communication with the truck driver’s insurance company and you won’t have to deal with them at all!
Don’t Say Too Much
Any statements you give to anyone can be used against you in a truck accident claim. Police reports, insurance companies, witnesses; they can all turn your words against you, even if that is not their intention. When speaking about your truck accident, you should say as little as possible.
Florida may be a no-fault state for car insurance claims, but in the event you bring a lawsuit to recover additional damages, they will use any recorded statements they have against your claim. Before speaking to anyone about your truck accident, it is good practice to have a Central Florida truck accident attorney to advise you on what not to say.
How a Central Florida Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
Even when dealing with your own insurance company, you should consult with your attorney before answering any questions or providing any information. The insurance companies are looking out for their bottom line, not your recovery from your truck accident.
Before accepting any estimates, agreeing to any settlements, or signing any release waivers, they should be looked at by a Central Florida truck accident attorney. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Lilly, O’Toole & Brown LLP can advise you through the stages of your truck accident claim and help you negotiate a fair settlement. Contact us today for a free consultation – (863) 533-5525)