If the other driver’s insurance company calls you after an accident, then it’s usually to obtain information they can use against you. This is why you and your car accident lawyer in College Station should discuss the possibility of a call like this happening ahead of time. They’ll give you advice on what to do if you receive this unwelcome phone call, and there’s also information that will help you below.
Ask a Car Accident Lawyer in College Station: What Should I Do If the Other Insurance Company Is Calling Me?
1. Stay Calm
Receiving an unexpected call from the other driver’s insurance company is going to be jarring, but the worst thing you can do is panic. You need to be in a good headspace to deal with this phone call accordingly. Panicking or reacting negatively could jeopardize your chances of getting the settlement you and your College Station car wreck attorney are working so hard to win.
Take a few deep breaths. Tell the caller you need to relocate to a quieter area if you wish, then take this time to actively calm yourself down. Once you’re in the right mindset, pick up the phone and continue the call.
2. Be Polite
It’s easy to view the other insurance company as the enemy, especially if they’ve been trying to get you to accept a lower settlement for a while now. Despite this, always be on your best behavior when speaking to anyone from the company.
You want them to view you favorably. Anything you say or do could harm your chances of winning a settlement. You can’t let the person on the phone believe you’re at all opposed to receiving this call or answering questions.
3. Don’t Answer Questions You Don’t Want To
The person on the other end of the line is going to ask you questions, and you should answer as many as you can. Answer calmly, clearly, and minimally. Only tell them things they already know, repeating what you told your attorney. Stick to facts that you’re using to help you win your case. If any questions make you uncomfortable, then politely refuse to answer them.
Avoid saying that you’d “rather not” answer a question. When you want to skip a question, then tell them you’d feel more comfortable answering it with your attorney present.
4. Call Your Attorney
Call your attorney the second you get off the phone, and detail as much of the call as you can remember. Your attorney will need to document this call. They may also want to call the insurance company themselves, or they’ll call your insurance company and let them know the other company has been in contact with you.
What Not to Do When the Other Driver’s Insurance Company Calls You
1. Don’t Discuss Feelings
Don’t let anybody at the other insurance company know how you’re feeling. They may try to use this against you to lower the amount you can claim for emotional distress. If you say you’re feeling fine, they may say you haven’t been as traumatized as you claimed. If you act too distressed, they may claim you’re milking it.
2. Don’t Be Apologetic
If you’re a remorseful person by nature, then you may feel inclined to apologize to the other insurance company for the role you played in the accident. Don’t do this. They may view this as accepting liability, and they’ll use it to try and lower your claim.
They may try to pin partial liability on you even if it’s already been proven that you weren’t in any way at fault. It’s best if you offer them nothing they can work with outside of the answers to the questions they ask. Let them speak first, and you should answer accordingly.
3. Don’t Offer New Information
Be very careful when answering the questions the insurance company proposes to you. Make sure you don’t offer up any new information voluntarily. They may use tactics to try and get new information out of you to build a case against you.
This is why having a calm mindset is so important. You’re not just being questioned—you’re being interrogated by somebody who wants to find you guilty, and they’ll use everything they can against you.
4. Don’t Make Guesses
Avoid speculating and making guesses when you don’t know the answer to a question. You could get yourself into trouble. It’s best to be honest if you have no idea how to answer a question. It’s not a crime to not know something, so the company can’t use this against you.
Receiving a phone call from the other driver’s insurance company isn’t ideal, but knowing how to handle yourself when it happens is vital. Do your best to give honest answers, and you should be fine to get through the call.
Originally posted 2022-09-27 15:40:45.
