Two years is the deadline for most Virginia personal injury lawsuits, and you do not have to give the other driver's insurance company a recorded statement just because they ask.

That "friendly" call is usually about building defenses early.

In Virginia, contributory negligence is brutally strict. If the insurer can pin even a small share of fault on you, it may try to deny the whole claim. A recorded statement gives the adjuster material to use against you later if your wording changes, you guess about speed or distance, or you downplay pain because you are still shaken up.

After a Lynchburg crash near a school zone, bus stop, or busy corridor heading toward US-29 or I-81, the other insurer may sound helpful and say it is "just routine." It is optional for them. You can simply say you are not giving a recorded statement.

What you usually should do is separate the two insurers:

• Your own insurer: you may need to report the crash promptly and cooperate under your policy.
• The other driver's insurer: you are generally not required to give a recorded statement.

You can provide basic facts instead: date, location, vehicles involved, and where the damage is. Do not guess, do not discuss prior injuries, and do not sign a broad medical release.

Common adjuster tactics in Virginia include asking leading questions, pushing a quick low offer before treatment is clear, delaying while the two-year clock keeps running, and arguing your injuries came from an old condition instead of the wreck.

If police responded, get the crash report information. In serious crashes, that may involve the Virginia State Police. Keep photos, medical records, bills, and missed-work notes. If the crash happened while working, that is a different track and disputes go through the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission.