Do I need a lawyer before speaking to police after an accident?

00:00 Hi, I'm attorney Emery Ledger.

00:02 I've been practicing law for over 28 years and I'm licensed in California,

00:06 Washington, and Texas. One question I hear all the time is,

00:10 do I need a lawyer before speaking to police after an accident?

00:13 And the answer is not always, but be careful. After an accident,

00:17 emotions are high. People are shaken up.

00:19 And sometimes they say things that are incomplete,

00:22 inaccurate or flat out harmful to their case.

00:25 Even innocent people can phrase something badly.

00:27 Even honest people can guess wrong about speed, distance, timing, or fault.

00:31 You generally do need to cooperate to a reasonable extent and provide basic

00:35 identifying information. And frankly, when in doubt,

00:38 speak to a personal injury lawyer first,

00:41 feel free to contact the Ledger Law Firm at 800-300-001.

00:46 We'd be happy to talk with you.