Should I talk to the insurance company representative after a Tennessee car accident

It is important to understand that Tennessee is an “at fault” state when it comes to compensation for car accidents. Meaning, the system seeks to determine who is legally liable for causing the car accident and requires the at fault party to pay for the losses arising out of the car accident. In addition to some other immediate things a victim of a car accident must do, the victim of a Tennessee car accident can seek compensation for personal injuries by filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier and if the insurance company refuses to pay a fair amount, file a lawsuit in court against the at-fault driver. If the at-fault driver does not have insurance, you may be able to file an uninsured motorist claim with your insurance company.

Therefore, it goes without saying that you will be in contact with an insurance carrier if you are involved in a car accident whether it was a mild accident or a very serious one. While you should always contact an experienced Tennessee car accident attorney to investigate your claim, even if you think it may be minor, you should certainly contact an attorney before giving a statement to an insurance company or the at fault driver’s insurance carrier where the injuries are significant.

That is because insurance is a business. They look to keep their own costs down. Even when the facts may show that the other driver was at fault, the insurance carrier may nonetheless still attempt to prove you were at fault to prevent the insurance company from having to argue with the other that their insured was at fault. Additionally, your own insurance carrier may purposely look for weaknesses in your story to help justify why they will accept the at fault insurance company’s low offer.

It should be apparent that any insurance company is not your friend. Thus, there are certain things to be aware of before you meet or talk to an insurance company. No matter what, do not—under any circumstances—perform the following acts without speaking to a trained Tennessee car accident attorney:

Admit to liability, even if it was just a small point of contention;
Accept, verify, agree to, or otherwise confirm any insurance estimates without your attorney;
Sign or agree to any insurance waiver or release;
Accept any settlement proposal, agreement, or any other discussion of compensation without meeting with your attorney;
Do not allow yourself to be recorded or transcribed on the phone or in a meeting with an insurance carrier; and
Do not provide lists of witnesses to the accident, other than the parties involved and the occupants.
While you may be tempted to quickly recover compensation for your injuries, particularly if you have been out of work for some time, insurance companies know that and will tempt you with immediate cash. Do not fall for that trick. Speak with a competent Tennessee car accident attorney who will aggressively stand up to insurance carriers to make sure you recovery the compensation you deserve.

Here at Bailey and Greer, PLLC our Tennessee car accident attorneys understand how to effectively pursue your claims. Our legal team has a proven track record of compassionately representing our clients injured in car accidents which is included in our testimonials page. Please contact us today to receive your free case evaluation by dialing locally to 901-680-9777 or toll-free to 888-470-9143. Remember, you only have one year from the date of the accident to commence your action to recover compensation.