Making Statements To Insurance Companies
The following article was written by Mr. Gelber and appeared in Western New York-area newspapers.
Accidents happen. Then you hear from your friends and relatives to see if you are ok. Then, out of nowhere, you get a friendly call from someone at some insurance company who you don’t know but seems to know about your accident. How are you supposed to respond?
In the first instance you should be direct in asking from what company the person is calling and whose interests the person represents. You will likely find that the person represents the insurance company for the other party involved in the accident (whether the other auto driver or the owner of a store or hospital or nursing home, etc.)
If this happens, please bear in mind that claims adjusters are professional negotiators, whose job it is to try to settle a matter in the most favorable manner for their employer. Our advise to you is to NEVER give any statement, oral or written, to the other person’s insurance company.
No matter how tempted you may be to get into a discussion with the person representing the other side, you should resist the impulse. Instead, take the phone call as a clue that the other party or his/her insurance company may be worried about the accident. Your best choice would be to contact an attorney to put a professional on your side and balance the playing field.
Let us help you determine what is a fair and reasonable recovery for your injuries or the injuries suffered by someone you care about. We are proud that our clients repeatedly tell us that we stand out from the crowd by helping them understand their rights and obligations while guiding them through the insurance and legal systems to best protect their interests.
Please note, however, that we are not suggesting that you avoid discussion with your own insurance company.
If you have forgotten the time frames we have discussed in the past, please call my office to get a brief recap. If you are in an accident due to someone else’s negligence call us today at (716) 568-7039 for a free consultation. Our office is located at 6512 Main Street in Buffalo, NY.
