Three Things You Shouldn’t Give to the Trucking Company’s Insurance Adjuster
Before you understand your rights as the victim of a truck accident, it’s easy to make serious mistakes that might threaten your ability to recover financial compensation for what happened. If you have recently been hurt, here are three things you should avoid giving the insurance company until you’ve had a chance to talk with your own attorney:
- A written statement. Outside of the initial police report, you should be wary of filling out or signing any documents you receive from the trucking company or its insurer. The written statements you submit can be twisted out of context and used to minimize your claim, so it’s important to look over each and every document you receive with an attorney of your choice.
- A recorded statement. You may be asked to give a statement about the accident and your injuries—whether over the phone or in person—that will be recorded. You should never do this without understanding your rights and talking to an attorney first, and in most cases, these statements aren’t even necessary to resolve your claim.
- Access to your medical records. The insurance company may ask you to sign a form that releases all your medical records to them for the purposes of resolving your claim. While that may seem innocent and reasonable enough, you should realize that the insurance company almost never needs access to your entire medical record. Instead, you can work with your legal representative to make sure that your medical privacy is protected and only relevant records are released.
Do you have questions about what to do after becoming the victim of a negligent truck driver? Don’t hesitate to contact our law office at 312-332-1400 for help—or even just request a free copy of our book, The 8 Steps to Follow After Your Illinois Car Accident.
