{"id":3822,"date":"2026-10-28T01:42:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T01:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/colvinaccidentlawyers.com\/resources\/car-accident-lawyer\/what-not-to-tell-the-attorney\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T01:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T01:09:57","slug":"what-not-to-tell-the-attorney","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/colvinaccidentlawyers.com\/resources\/car-accident-lawyer\/what-not-to-tell-the-attorney\/","title":{"rendered":"Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer: What Not to Tell Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Car Accident Lawyer<\/a> | Bakersfield, CA<\/p>

What Not to Tell the Insurance Adjuster After a Bakersfield Car Accident<\/h1>

Small statements made in the first days after a crash can shape your claim. Learn what to avoid, and talk with Colvin Accident Lawyers early.<\/p>

Get a Free Case Consultation<\/a><\/div>
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By Donald Norman Colvin \u00b7 Published October 27, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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The short answer to what not to tell the attorney is simple: don’t hold back, shade the truth, or guess. A lawyer can only evaluate the facts they know. A detail you leave out can surface later and hurt more than an unhelpful fact you shared at the start.<\/p>\n

If you’re reading this after a crash, you may be the one who was hurt. You may also be a parent, spouse, or adult child helping someone who was. Either way, medical visits, insurance calls, and hard questions can pile up fast. This page explains the statements that most often cause trouble after a car accident in California.<\/p>\n

Why the Question Matters After a Car Accident<\/h2>\n

Knowing what not to tell the attorney starts with one rule: tell them everything. A lawyer can’t judge a claim without an accurate account of the crash, your injuries, and your history.<\/p>\n

Facts that look bad for you still need to be shared. Your lawyer can plan around a known problem. A hidden problem often comes out later, through a police report, a witness, or the other side’s records.<\/p>\n

How fault is shared in an accident depends on the specific facts of each case. Your role in the crash is something to discuss openly with your lawyer, not hide.<\/p>\n\n

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If you're trying to make sense of a crash that hurt you or someone you love, our team at Colvin Accident Lawyers is ready to listen. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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How Confidentiality Protects What You Share With Your Lawyer<\/h2>\n

Your first consultation with Colvin Accident Lawyers is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue. That privacy lets you speak openly, including about the parts you’re unsure of.<\/p>\n

Keep those talks between you and your legal team. Repeating your lawyer’s advice to friends, coworkers, or online groups can make those conversations harder to keep private. Texts and posts can also become records the other side may ask about.<\/p>\n

If you’re not sure whether a detail matters, share it anyway. Let your lawyer decide what it means. Bring your questions too. No question about the process is too basic.<\/p>\n

Avoid Guessing About Speed, Distance, or Fault<\/h2>\n

Don’t guess about speed, following distance, or who caused the crash. Describe what you saw and heard, and label every estimate as an estimate.<\/p>\n

“I think he was going about 50” is more honest than “he was going 50.” The first shows your impression. The second sounds like a measurement you may not have made. Say what you remember, what you don’t remember, and what you learned later.<\/p>\n

Repeat what the other driver said exactly. If they said “I didn’t see you,” write those words down, along with who heard them and when. A paraphrase can create confusion later.<\/p>\n

Traffic rules matter here too. Under Cal. Evid. Code \u00a7 669<\/a>, California law can presume a person failed to use due care when that person violated a statute, ordinance, or regulation of a public entity and certain conditions are met. That presumption can be rebutted. Tell your lawyer about any signal, sign, or lane issue you noticed, even if it seems unhelpful.<\/p>\n

Also tell your lawyer whether you stopped. Under Cal. Veh. Code \u00a7 20001<\/a>, a driver in an accident that injures another person or causes a death must stop immediately at the scene and must also meet the requirements of Sections 20003 and 20004.<\/p>\n

Do Not Minimize Your Injuries or Leave Out Prior Health History<\/h2>\n

Don’t say “I’m fine” when you’re still hurting. Describe every symptom, even small ones, because some injuries show up days after a crash.<\/p>\n

A head injury is a good example. According to the AANS guidance on head injury<\/a>, traumatic brain injury can follow blows or jolts to the head, and its severity can range from mild to serious. Crashes can also cause spinal cord injuries. The MedlinePlus spinal cord injury overview<\/a> notes these can lead to permanent loss of movement, function, or sensation.<\/p>\n

Share these details with your lawyer:<\/p>\n