Should You Talk to Insurance After a Northridge Car Accident?

Arya Firoozmand, Esq.

Local Northridge Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Arya Firoozmand is the founding partner at L&F Brown. A Woodland Hills native who attended nearby El Camino Real High School, he graduated from UCLA Law School and has represented injured Northridge residents throughout his career.

Your phone is ringing. It might be the other driver's insurance company. It might be your own. Either way, you just got into an accident somewhere in Northridge, maybe on the 118, maybe at the Reseda and Devonshire intersection, and now someone wants you to answer questions about what happened. Should you talk to them?

The answer depends on who is calling and what they are asking. Here is the breakdown.

Your Own Insurance Company

Yes, you should talk to your own insurer. Your policy requires you to report the accident, and failing to do so could jeopardize your coverage. When you call your own company, keep it factual and brief:

Tell them the date, time, and location of the crash. If it was on the 118, say so. If it was at Tampa and Nordhoff, give them the intersection. Tell them the other driver's information if you have it. Tell them you were injured if you were, but do not go into specifics about the severity of your injuries. You may not fully understand the extent of your injuries yet, especially if you have not been evaluated at Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

Do not speculate about fault. Do not say "it was partly my fault" or "I should have seen them." Just provide the facts as you know them. If they ask for a recorded statement, you can provide one, but keep it to the basic facts of the accident. Do not discuss your medical condition in detail.

The Other Driver's Insurance Company

This is different. You are under no obligation to talk to the other driver's insurer, and in most cases, you should not. At least not yet.

When the other driver's insurance company calls you, usually within 24 to 48 hours, they will sound friendly and concerned. They will say they just want to "get your side of the story" and "move things forward." What they are actually doing is building a file to minimize your claim. Every word you say in that conversation can be used against you.

Here is what typically happens: the adjuster asks you to give a recorded statement. During that statement, they ask leading questions designed to elicit responses that reduce the value of your claim or shift fault onto you. Questions like "Did you see the other car before the impact?" or "Would you say the intersection was clear when you entered it?" are not innocent. They are strategic.

If you tell the other driver's adjuster that you "feel okay" or "it's not that bad," those words will appear in their file six months from now when you are trying to recover for a herniated disc that did not show symptoms until two weeks after the crash. The adjuster is not your ally. They work for the company that has to pay you.

The Recorded Statement Trap

The recorded statement is the single most dangerous thing an unrepresented accident victim can do. It happens early, before you have seen all your doctors, before you understand the full extent of your injuries, and before you have consulted an attorney. The insurance company knows this. They want your statement now precisely because your understanding of the situation is incomplete.

Common traps in recorded statements:

"Can you describe your injuries?" You answer based on how you feel right now, which might be sore but not terrible. Two weeks later, an MRI reveals a disc herniation at Northridge Hospital. The insurer points to your recorded statement where you said you were "a little sore" and argues your injuries are not serious.

"Were there any obstructions at the intersection?" You say no, because you did not notice any. Later, your attorney discovers that a tree at the Nordhoff and Tampa corner partially blocked the traffic signal. By then, your recorded statement saying there were no obstructions is in the file.

"Did you have any prior injuries to your neck or back?" If you say yes, they will attribute your current injuries to the prior condition. If you say no but your medical records show otherwise, they will accuse you of dishonesty. Either way, answering this question without legal guidance is risky.

What to Say When They Call

If the other driver's insurance company contacts you, here is a script that protects you:

"Thank you for calling. I was involved in the accident and I am treating for my injuries. I am not able to give a recorded statement at this time. Please send any correspondence to my attorney at [your attorney's contact information]."

If you do not have an attorney yet, you can say: "I am not prepared to give a statement at this time. I will be in touch after I have consulted with legal counsel."

They may push back. They may tell you that cooperation is required. It is not, not with the other driver's insurer. You have no contractual or legal obligation to speak with them, and they cannot penalize you for declining.

When to Get a Lawyer Involved

Ideally, before you talk to anyone. A Northridge car accident attorney takes over all communication with the other driver's insurance company. They handle recorded statements, document requests, and settlement negotiations. This removes the risk of you saying something that damages your own claim.

If your crash happened on the 118, CHP generated the report. If it was on Reseda, Tampa, Nordhoff, or Devonshire, LAPD Devonshire Division has the report. Your attorney will obtain the report, review it, and use it as the foundation for your claim. The insurance company gets their information from your attorney, not from you.

What If You Already Talked to Them?

If you already gave a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company, do not panic. It is not the end of your case. But it does mean your attorney now has to account for whatever you said in that recording. The sooner you get legal representation, the sooner your attorney can manage the narrative and correct any mischaracterizations the insurer may draw from your statement.

If you were in a car accident in Northridge and the insurance company is calling, talk to a lawyer first. A free consultation with our Northridge personal injury team gives you clarity on how to handle the calls, protect your claim, and avoid the traps that cost people money.