Shortly after a motorcycle accident, your phone will ring. The caller will be an insurance adjuster representing the driver who hit you. They will sound very polite, friendly, and helpful. They might ask how you are feeling and offer to record a quick statement to "speed up your claim."
It is best to politely decline and hang up.
Insurance adjusters are trained professionals whose main job is saving their company money. They do not work for you, and they are not trying to be your friend. They use recorded phone calls to gather statements that can lower the value of your injury claim.
Adjusters know that right after a crash, people are confused and stressed out. You might say "I feel okay" just to be polite when asked how you are doing. Later, if your doctor finds out you have a herniated disc in your back, the insurance company will play that recording. They will say you were not really hurt because you said you felt okay on the phone.
Adjusters also like to ask tricky questions about speed and distances. They might ask, "How far away was the car when you first saw it?" If you guess wrong or give an estimate, they can use math tricks to claim you had plenty of time to stop and avoid the crash yourself.
Another tactic is asking for a recorded statement before you have all your medical facts. Many motorcycle injuries, like soft tissue damage or concussions, take days to show full symptoms. If you list your injuries early on and forget to mention a sore knee, the insurer will refuse to pay for knee treatment later.
You are not legally required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. You can simply tell them that you are seeking medical treatment and that your legal representative will contact them.
Before you talk to any insurance rep, consider speaking with a St. Louis motorcycle injury attorney. An attorney will handle all communication with the insurance adjusters for you, protecting your claim from unfair trick questions.
