If you are involved in a car crash while traveling in Georgia, you’ll likely need to interact with your auto insurance company. Ideally, you will contact your coverage provider no more than 24 hours after the accident assuming that you’re physically able to do so.
Never speculate when talking to an insurance company
As part of the claim process, you will likely need to make a written or oral statement to your auto insurance provider. Your top priority is to be as objective as possible when making such a statement. This means that you should say that you were traveling west when the accident happened or that there was snow on the road when the crash took place.
It’s generally not a good idea to say that your brakes were making funny noises in the moments prior to the wreck. First, there is no way to know if faulty brakes played a role in the accident until an investigation can be performed. Furthermore, if the insurance company thinks that improper vehicle maintenance contributed to the wreck, it could imply that you were at least partially liable for causing it.
You don’t need to talk to the other driver’s insurance company
The other driver’s insurance company may ask that you make a statement as part of its investigation into your car accident. However, you are under no obligation to do so, and it may not be in your best interest as you may not remember exactly what you said when talking to your own provider. This could result in discrepancies between the two statements that may be used to cast doubt on your credibility during settlement talks or at trial.
If you’re hurt in a motor vehicle wreck caused by the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. Generally speaking, it’s in your best interest to talk as little as possible until your case is resolved. Doing so may prevent you from saying something that may undermine your ability to obtain a favorable outcome.