Got a Call from a Trucking Company's Adjuster? Pause Before You Talk.

Short Answer: Are You Required to Talk to the Trucking Company’s Adjuster?

You have a choice about whether, when, and how you respond to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster. That choice matters, so understand it before you pick up the next call. The adjuster works for the trucking side, not for you. Whether you must respond depends on the facts of your crash and your own policy.

Your own insurance company is a different party. Your own auto policy may have cooperation terms that differ from what the other side’s adjuster asks. Read those terms before you answer any call from your own carrier.

Georgia law says an uninsured motorist endorsement may not require anything of the insured except establishing legal liability, subject to the other provisions of the policy or contract. It also says the insured may not be kept from hiring a lawyer or starting legal proceedings under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11.

Staying silent does not end a claim. Still, unanswered calls can slow things down. The insurer keeps its investigation going whether or not you take part. So the practical question is not only “must I answer?” It is “what do I say, and when?”

Who the Trucking Company’s Adjuster Works For

The adjuster works for the trucking company’s liability insurer, and the job is to limit what that insurer pays. An adjuster is not a neutral referee. The call may sound friendly, but the adjuster is not there to protect your interests.

Several parties can be involved in a truck crash. The driver, the motor carrier, and the insurer may each have a role. Georgia law makes a person liable for torts committed by a servant “in the prosecution and within the scope of his business” under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-2. That means the carrier can be part of your claim from the first call.

So the insurer on the other side is usually a company with its own claims staff. You are one person dealing with it.

Calls may come from the driver, the carrier, or the insurer, and each can follow a different script. Ask who is calling, which company they represent, and what claim number they use.

Why the Trucking Insurer Calls So Early

Trucking carriers often start their investigation right away, which is why calls can arrive within days. A serious truck crash sets off rules and paperwork on the carrier’s side before you have had time to think.

Federal rules require carriers to test certain drivers after some serious crashes. If an alcohol test is not given within two hours, the employer must record why. After eight hours, the employer must stop trying to give it. Drug tests have a 32-hour limit. These time limits show how quickly evidence can change.

Carrier records also run on a clock. Under 49 C.F.R. § 395.8, a motor carrier must keep records of duty status and supporting documents for each driver for at least six months from the date of receipt. That is a minimum, so your own copies of dates and records matter too.

Early calls often press for a quick settlement or a medical authorization before your injuries are fully known. Whatever you say can be written down, summarized, and used later. It may be used to question how the crash happened or how badly you were hurt.

What the Adjuster Is Likely to Ask

Expect questions about the crash timeline, your route and speed, prior injuries, your medical care, and your work status. These questions sound routine. They can still shape the claim for months.

Small answers can cause trouble later. A guess about the time, the distance, or the lane you were in may be repeated back to you. A rough guess about your speed can sound like a fact once it’s written down. If you don’t know something, say so. Don’t fill the gap with a guess.

Questions about prior injuries and medical history matter most. Answer accurately about what you know. Avoid saying you’re “fine” before you have been medically evaluated. Pain can show up hours or days after a crash, and an early “I’m fine” can be quoted back later.

Before any call, write down the categories you expect. That gives you a short list to check before you speak.

Mistakes That Can Hurt a Georgia Truck Crash Claim

The most common early mistakes are admitting fault, saying you’re fine before a medical checkup, and accepting an offer too soon. Each one can shape how the claim is judged later.

Fault matters a lot in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, the trier of fact (the person or group deciding the case) sets the plaintiff’s percentage of fault. The judge then reduces damages in proportion to that percentage. If the plaintiff is 50 percent or more responsible, the plaintiff cannot receive any damages. A careless remark about who had the right of way can affect the outcome.

Medical bills need proof. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-2, special damages “must be proved in order to be recovered.” Georgia also limits medical expenses to “the reasonable value of medically necessary care” under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-1.1. Care given under a letter of protection can also be examined in a claim.

An early offer may not include treatment you haven’t had yet. Read every page of any release before you sign. Ask what it covers and what it leaves out.

Be careful with social media. Photos, check-ins, and comments about the crash, your activity, or your injuries can be viewed and used. Keep your posts private, and do not discuss the claim online.

Trucking-Specific Issues and Georgia Deadlines

Commercial truck claims often involve the driver, the carrier, the cargo owner, and other companies. More parties mean more insurers and more paperwork.

Georgia assigns fault among parties under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33. Each liable person’s damages are its own, and they are not joint. The trier of fact must consider the fault of all persons or entities who contributed to the injury, regardless of whether they were, or could have been, named as a party to the suit; under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, a nonparty’s fault is considered if the plaintiff entered into a settlement agreement with the nonparty or a defending party gives notice not later than 120 days prior to the date of trial that the nonparty was wholly or partially at fault. In a truck case, that can matter a great deal.

Federal rules also set minimum insurance levels for many motor carriers. Under 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, one schedule sets a $750,000 minimum for for-hire carriers in interstate commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds, hauling nonhazardous property. Other categories carry different limits.

Deadlines matter. Georgia generally requires an injury lawsuit to be brought within two years after the right of action accrues, under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Talks with an insurer can feel like progress, so keep that date in view.

Quick Answers to Common Questions

If You Have Already Spoken With the Adjuster

One call does not decide your claim, but you should record it. Write down the date, the time, the caller’s name, the company, and what was said. Do this as soon as you can, while the details are fresh.

Avoid repeating or expanding on what you said. If you realize you gave a wrong detail, correct it in writing instead of arguing on the phone.

Do not sign any document from the insurer until you understand every line. Read every page first.

Keep your records organized. Save medical bills, appointment notes, prescriptions, pay stubs, and mileage. These records matter whether the claim settles or moves forward.

Talk With T. Madden & Associates About Your Truck Crash

If you’re dealing with injuries, missed work, and calls from an insurer you didn’t choose, you don’t have to sort out every step alone. Many readers are researching for a family member, and that’s a hard position too.

If you want to talk through your own crash, including whether calls to the trucking insurer should go through a lawyer, you can reach T. Madden & Associates, P.C. Your first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue. The firm works on a no fee unless we win basis, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.

Responsible lawyer: Terance Madden, of T. Madden & Associates, P.C., a Georgia personal injury firm in practice since 1999. Offices: Jonesboro (Clayton County), Atlanta, Decatur, Macon, and Augusta. Contact: https://www.tmaddenlaw.com/contact/

This article is general information, not legal advice.