The details of your car accident claim are best kept between you and your car accident attorney.
For most people, being in an accident is an extremely stressful thing. Like most situations in someone’s life that are overwhelming, the person in an accident might feel the need to talk to people about the events of the accident in order to heal from a potentially traumatic experience.
Before you go around talking to everyone you know about what happened, you should understand that what you say in casual conversation might come back to haunt you.
Social Media
One of the worst ways that you can talk about the events related to your car accident is by posting things online. If you aren’t careful, posting pictures, videos or even just a recount of the events of your accident can come back to bite you.
If there is a discrepancy in what the drivers remember of the events before or during the accident, the first place the insurance company may go to investigate is social media. If you post anything to your social media accounts, it can and most certainly will, be used to further a case against you, if possible. When it comes to sharing accident details, it is generally best to keep them between you and your attorney.
Casual Conversation
You might think that talking to friends or acquaintances about the accident isn’t going to go anywhere, but that may not always be the case. If the insurance company believes that you weren’t truthful about your statements about the accident, they will have no problem subpoenaing the people closest to you.
If you don’t want to get other people involved, it is best to avoid involving them by talking about the details of your accident.
Don’t Give Any Written or Recorded Statements
When talking to the insurance company, or anyone representing it, it is critical that you not say anything while being recorded without having your lawyer present. If you do make any statements, they can be used against you.
Don’t put things in writing, either. The record of the events should be in the police report, so let it speak for you. If the insurance company asks you about the accident, simply tell them that you already made a written statement with the police and leave it at that.
When something is stressful, you generally want to get it out by venting or talking to the people around you. When it comes to a car accident, however, (especially if there are injuries involved) it is best to discuss your claim with your attorney. Anything that you say can come back to bite you, even if you think no one is listening.
