HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED IN A CRASH?
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 455
The insurance company of the individual responsible for injuring you will contact you very soon after the crash. They will want to ask you questions about your injuries. These first conversations after the crash may by difficult. You may be agitated or in pain. But common sense and a few guiding principles will prevent you from saying anything that may negatively effect your claim in the long run.
When insurance companies call about the crash, remember these rules:
The insurance company of the individual responsible for injuring you will contact you very soon after the crash. They will want to ask you questions about your injuries. These first conversations after the crash may by difficult. You may be agitated or in pain. But common sense and a few guiding principles will prevent you from saying anything that may negatively effect your claim in the long run.
When insurance companies call about the crash, remember these rules:
BE COURTEOUS BUT SAY LITTLE
Identify the person with whom you are speaking:
Always write down the caller's name, address, telephone number, the name of the insurance company and the name of the individual they are representing. Record all this information in a notebook or file.
Remain calm and polite:
Although you may be angry about the crash and your injuries, remember taking this anger out on the insurance adjuster won't help your claim. Being pleasant might even help your claim.
Give limited personal information:
Provide only your full name, address and telephone number. During the first conversation it is not necessary to discuss your work, schedule, or income. Detailed family information and other personal information are not necessary either.
DO NOT provide details about the accident:
This applies when speaking to the other person's insurance company. The insurance adjuster may try to get you to give a statement about how the accident happened. Politely refuse any discussion of the facts of the accident except for the most basic: where, when, the type of accident, and the vehicles involved.
Take notes:
As soon as the conversation is over, write down all the information you received over the phone, as well as the information you provided. Get in the habit of taking notes for all conversations with anyone from the insurance company.
Remember: If you have hired an attorney to represent you in this motor vehicle crash, refer ALL insurance related calls to your attorney.
If you or someone you know has been injured by another person, please contact a qualified attorney. A qualified attorney will protect your rights. Contact the Alaska Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service http://www.alaskabar.org/index.cfm?ID=4999