Talking to Insurance Companies

Answer:

Trucking accidents are a little different from regular car accidents in that you’re dealing with businesses most of the time. A lot of these businesses have in-house counsel. If an insurance company doesn’t call you swiftly after a trucking accident, some in-house lawyer will call you swiftly after an in house accident. We’re often asked, “Should I talk to their lawyer or should I talk to their insurance company?” Our answer is unequivocally, no. You’re not a lawyer. You let lawyers talk to lawyers because those folks on the other side are not your friends. They’re not for you. They’re going to try to pin you down to a statement, cross you up, and use these statements later on, either in trial or somewhere else as statements that are inconsistent with party interest. They can also use these statements that you make for impeachment purposes before you’ve had a chance to talk to your lawyer and clear up what these statements should be. In no case would we tell you to talk to opposing counsel. In no case would we tell you to talk to the insurance company of the trucking company regarding your case. You call your lawyer first and you trust your lawyer. You may be trying to save money, but you’re not saving any money. You’re hurting yourself. In fact, you’re costing yourself money because you’re going to say something that you shouldn’t say and it’s going to mitigate the amount of recovery that you’re going to get. You call your lawyer first. Pick up the phone. Call our office. Let us deal with that other lawyer. Let us deal with that insurance company so that we can maintain the value of your case and make sure that you are getting the best possible outcome.