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Why Biting Your Tongue Is A Good Idea At An Injury Scene

10 June 2018 by Kenneth Graham

At the scene of an injury, you might have lots of reasons to talk. Perhaps you're upset about the reasons for the injury and are keen to give the other party a piece of your mind, or maybe the other party wants to discuss the circumstances that led to the incident with you. It's generally a good rule to bite your tongue at this time and avoid conversing with the other party — someone with whom you may soon find yourself in a legal situation. In fact, when you hire a personal injury attorney, he or she will almost certainly ask what you said at the scene, as what you said may impact your case. Here are some reasons to keep quiet.

The Other Party May Be Recording You

When someone quickly realizes that his or her negligence was the likely cause of your injury, the person may begin to worry about future legal action. Some people will look to coerce you into accepting culpability for your injury and may discreetly record you with their smartphone. For example, if you were to fall in a store, an unscrupulous store manage could suggest that you were running, and may try to get you to admit this — even if it isn't true. A clandestine recording of you accepting blame could threaten your case, which is a good reason to keep quiet.

It May Escalate The Situation

Injury situations can already be testy, with plenty of emotions running high. A verbal discussion between you and the other party can begin with an assessment of the scene but quickly turn into pointing the fingers of blame at one another. In some cases, this situation could even become violent. When you make a pledge not to talk, you're taking a positive step toward keeping the situation from escalating, which will only make things worse for both of you.

It Could Help The Other Party's Attorney

If you're quick to start talking about the circumstances of your injury, you could unknowingly paint a picture of how your attorney will pursue your case. When the other party hires an attorney to represent himself or herself, the attorney will often ask what you said at the scene. If the other party can relay the basics of what you said, this can help the attorney begin to prepare a defense. When you don't say anything, you aren't giving the other side an opportunity to get ready for your legal action.

For more information, contact a lawyer like Keith E Zaid Attorney At Law.

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