February 13, 2014

Can I Talk to Insurance Companies after a Personal Injury Accident in Los Angeles?

One common question many people have after being involved in a personal injury accident in Los Angeles is whether they can talk to their or the other party’s insurance company. As much as possible, you should avoid talking to insurance companies. Initially, you do have to contact your insurance provider to tell them about the accident and obtain a claim number. It is okay to supply them with the police report case number, as well as information about the other person who caused the accident, like their name, address and insurance company. However, after you offer this initial information, you need to refrain from talking with them further until you have had time to consult with a personal injury attorney.

If you already know you intend to speak to an accident lawyer, you could inform your insurance company during the initial call, though it is not necessary. If the lawyer believes you have grounds for filing a personal injury suit against the other party, they will contact your insurance company to handle any further interactions.

In addition, if the other party’s insurance provider attempts to contact you directly, you should politely respond to them by saying you are unable to discuss or talk about the case with them at this time. If they inquire why, or press the matter, simply inform them you have scheduled an appointment with an attorney to find out your legal rights, first, and after your initial consultation, either you or your lawyer will be in contact.

Why is all of this important? Insurance companies have their own teams of lawyers on retainer ready to deal with personal injury cases. You should, too, in order to protect your legal rights. Further, anything you tell insurance adjusters in detail or elaborate on could have an impact on the type of personal injury settlement you may be entitled to receive as you run the risk of it being used against you later.