After an Iowa motorcycle accident, you want the insurance companies to pay your medical bills and repair costs. The insurance company wants to pay you as little as possible. Even if the accident was clearly not your fault, what you say after the accident can impact your settlement.

Here are seven things that you should never say after a Cedar Rapids motorcycle crash:

  1. Never say sorry. Don't apologize to anyone for anything after the motorcycle accident—even if you think you might be at fault. Don’t say “sorry” to the driver, to a witness or to the police. “Sorry” may be seen as an admission of fault. What you say, even if it is just using good manners, can be used against you later.
     
  2. Don’t say, “I'm not hurt” or “I’m okay.” The adrenaline that is released during an Iowa motorcycle accident can mask serious injuries. It may be hours, the next day, or even several days before you feel pain or other symptoms. This is especially true for head injuries, internal bleeding, and neck and spine injuries. The insurance company will take “I am okay” to mean “I have no injuries.” If you file an injury claim, they may accuse you of fraud.
     
  3. Don’t say, “I think…” Don't make guesses about what happened. The insurance adjuster might try to get you to estimate your speed or the speed of the other driver; he might want you to estimate where the car was when you started through the intersection. He may ask you the same question in several ways. Unless you know something is absolutely true, stick to facts and answer “I don’t know.”
     
  4. Don’t give a recorded statement. The insurance company may ask you to make a recorded statement. You should not do this. The goal is to seek information to help shift the blame for an Iowa motorcycle crash. If the insurance company insists, ask the adjuster to contact your Cedar Rapids motorcycle accident lawyer.
     
  5. Don’t reveal the names of doctors, family, or friends. Don’t give the insurance company your personal information. The insurance adjuster may contact your family members, friends or doctors to find out more about you, your injuries, your past medical history and your habits. They are fishing for information to use to deny or discredit your claim. For example, if you attended a birthday dinner for your elderly grandma a week after the crash, the insurance company may say “He wasn’t seriously injured, he was out partying.”
     
  6. Never say, “I accept your offer.” The insurance company is trying to pay you as little as possible. While a first offer may seem reasonable, you may not yet know the extent of your medical costs. Don’t accept an insurance company offer until you’ve spoken to a Cedar Rapids motorcycle crash attorney.
     
  7. Don’t say, "I don't have a lawyer." Motorcycle accident victims without lawyers receive substantially smaller settlements than those who hire an experienced Cedar Rapids motorcycle accident attorney. The insurance company gives claims that are represented by a lawyer more respect and attention for two reasons. First, an attorney can will a fair value on your claim, including medical bills, future medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, the impact of your injuries on your life, pain and suffering and other out-of-pocket expenses. Second, the attorney knows insurance tactics and how to use the law to make the insurance company pay that fair value. If an insurance company won’t play fair, an experienced Iowa injury attorney will take the insurance company to court.

So what should you say to an insurance company? Tell the truth and stick to the facts. If you have questions or are confused, ask the adjuster to contact your Cedar Rapids motorcycle injury lawyer.

Top motorcycle litigation law firm Hupy and Abraham, P.C has recently opened a law office in Cedar Rapids. To schedule an appointment with a Cedar Rapids motorcycle injury attorney, contact Hupy and Abraham, P.C at 800-800-5678.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.