I was injured offshore and the insurance company wants me to give a recorded statement - What should I do?
After an offshore injury, the insurance company will probably want to take a "recorded statement" from you. The insurance company will tell you they are trying to "investigate your claim" and "determine liability" and they need your recorded statement "for their file."
The insurance company will try to convince you it is in your best interest to give a quick recorded statement. They will say something like "just tell us what happened" so they can "make an offer" on your case.
They may even try to convince you to sign paperwork. That paperwork may completely eliminate your legal rights against the company or wrongdoer, or severely limit those rights.
For example, a company called "Weeks Marine" often tries to convince badly injured workers to sign papers giving up their right to sue. Weeks Marine has gone so far as to go to the hospital after one of the workers was injured and shove papers in front of them injured worker.
It is a bad idea to give a recorded statement to the insurance company or employer unless you have your own independent attorney involved.
Why?
Because the real purpose of a "recorded statement" is so the insurance company can trick you into saying something that will hurt your case or allow them to avoid responsibility for paying your claim.
The insurance company and their adjusters are skilled at "investigating" the case in such a way that it either allows them to avoid responsibility entirely or significantly reduce the amount of your claim.
The bottom line is that if you were injured at sea or injured offshore, and the insurance company starts trying to talk you into giving a recorded statement, carefully consider not giving a recorded statement without your own independent legal advice. Otherwise, you may be falling into an insurance company trap.
The insurance company will try to convince you it is in your best interest to give a quick recorded statement. They will say something like "just tell us what happened" so they can "make an offer" on your case.
They may even try to convince you to sign paperwork. That paperwork may completely eliminate your legal rights against the company or wrongdoer, or severely limit those rights.
For example, a company called "Weeks Marine" often tries to convince badly injured workers to sign papers giving up their right to sue. Weeks Marine has gone so far as to go to the hospital after one of the workers was injured and shove papers in front of them injured worker.
It is a bad idea to give a recorded statement to the insurance company or employer unless you have your own independent attorney involved.
Why?
Because the real purpose of a "recorded statement" is so the insurance company can trick you into saying something that will hurt your case or allow them to avoid responsibility for paying your claim.
The insurance company and their adjusters are skilled at "investigating" the case in such a way that it either allows them to avoid responsibility entirely or significantly reduce the amount of your claim.
The bottom line is that if you were injured at sea or injured offshore, and the insurance company starts trying to talk you into giving a recorded statement, carefully consider not giving a recorded statement without your own independent legal advice. Otherwise, you may be falling into an insurance company trap.
