No one likes getting into a car accident. Even if you aren’t seriously injured, dealing with the aftermath of a crash can cause major headaches.
One of the reasons car accidents are so frustrating to deal with is because insurance companies aren’t truly looking out for the best interests of their claimants. Instead, insurance companies are businesses, which means they operate like all other businesses do: with an overarching goal to turn a profit.
That’s why insurance company representatives are likely to frame things in ways that benefit their business, rather than being transparent, which may turn out to benefit you.
Here are three reasons why speaking to the insurance company after a car accident can destroy your case:
#1 – Insurance adjusters always want a recorded statement.
While you may be required to submit a statement about the accident to the insurance company, you are in no way obligated to do so over the phone. You see, when you provide a statement over the phone, the insurance company will record it and use anything you say against you in order to invalidate your claim.
Insurance company representatives are infamously skilled at guiding your statement in a way that gets you to say things to hurt your claim. Avoid this altogether by not speaking with the insurance company at all.
It’s in your best interest to have your attorney provide a statement to the insurance company for you. Your attorney will know what to say (and perhaps more importantly—what not to say) to the insurance company after a crash in order to protect your claim.
#2 – North Carolina is a pure contributory negligence state.
Because North Carolina is a pure contributory negligence state, that means if you are found to be even just 1% at fault for the accident, your entire case will be thrown out.
Seem fair? If not, that’s because this doctrine isn’t usually very fair to claimants.
Unfortunately, it’s quite simple for insurance adjusters to find flaws in recorded accident statements, which means if you provide one, your case will very likely be discarded altogether. If they can find the most minuscule issue to assert that you “contributed” to the crash and injuries, then you won’t be able to recover any damages.
#3 – If you are found at fault (even just 1%), get ready for an intense battle.
There are no empirical means of determining fault in a car accident, which means the outcome of your case will boil down to how well you can prove your innocence against the claims adjuster. Keep in mind that the adjuster will likely have much more arsenal at their disposal than you will, which means they’ll be much more likely to persuade a judge or jury that you are partially at fault for the wreck.
Let Us Do the Heavy Lifting For You
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, the last thing you want to hear is that your case was thrown out due to the most minute detail. If someone else is responsible for your property damage or physical injuries, they should be held accountable for any wrongdoing.
You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s mistakes just because of a legal technicality. It’s in your best interest to retain experienced legal representation right away to help with your case.
Our attorneys at Benoit Law Firm, PLLC are highly skilled in the area of car accident personal injury law and have helped many other people in similar situations obtain the compensation they deserved. Let us see if we can help you recover compensation, too. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our office right away with any questions you may have.
Call the Charlotte lawyers at Benoit Law Firm, PLLC today at (877) 600-7212 to speak with an attorney about your case.