Do I need to give a statement to an insurance company following an auto accident where I was injured?

No. As a party or witness to an auto accident, you have no obligation to speak with any person– from an insurance company, lawyers’ office or otherwise.

It has become common practice for many auto insurance companies to call a person involved in a car accident shortly following the incident to ask them questions about how the incident occurred or to discuss what type of injuries they may have sustained. While such questions may seem relatively innocent, these questions are posed from the company that will likely be responsible for making a payment to you as compensation for your injuries. Insurance companies often use these statements against you, in order to minimize the value of your case and thus offer a low claim settlement, or even to reject your claim altogether. Consequently, most car accident attorneys strongly advise against giving any statements following a car accident.

Instead of speaking with the insurance company following your accident, you should write a letter of notification to the at-fault driver’s insurance company, notifying them of the accident. Include only your name, date and location of the accident, notification of your injury, and the date that you wrote the letter. (http://www.dmv.org/insurance/compensation-for-auto-accident-personal-injury-claims.php). After writing the letter of notification, allow your attorney to handle the insurance company. Attorneys know how to deal with the insurance companies and know how much information is necessary to turn over. Giving away too much information, such as a medical authorization form, may harm your chances of a fair settlement.