Should I give the insurance adjuster a recorded statement?

A: Generally - no.  But first, we need to define what a recorded statement is.  A recorded statement is a statement that you give to the insurance adjuster over the phone.  During the phone conversation the adjuster asks you questions while he or she records your responses.  Adjusters will tell that it is "necessary" to get such a statement before they can process the claim.  However, I have handled dozens and dozens of cases where I did not allow my client to give a recorded statement and we managed to settle the case without any trouble.

The truth of the matter is that it is not "necessary" for you to give a recorded statement.  And unless you have an experienced personal injury attorney on the phone with you, it is not a good idea to give one.  The reason is that adjusters will ask you loaded questions designed to trick you into saying something damaging to your claim.  They will also attempt to get you to "guess" at distances or facts which you aren't sure of.  Once this happens you could be stuck with a version of your accident which is either innacurrate or damaging to your case.

The best thing to do is to contact a personal injury attorney like the attorneys at Terrell Law Firm BEFORE you talk to the insurance adjuster.  The personal injury lawyers at Terrell Law Firm will prepare you for the recorded conversation, including what questions to expect.  We will also be on the phone with you to insure that the adjuster does not ask innapropriate questions.