Think Before You Talk to the Insurance Adjuster

The short answer: don’t guess, don’t admit fault, and don’t agree to a recorded statement until you know what it’s for. An insurance adjuster works for an insurance company, and anything you say can become part of the claim file. This guide explains what not to tell a claims adjuster after a car or truck wreck in Georgia, and why each point matters.

Why an Insurance Adjuster Is Calling You After a Wreck

An adjuster calls to open a claim, gather facts, and learn how you were hurt. The adjuster works for an insurance company whose job is to evaluate and resolve the claim. That could be the other driver’s insurer, a trucking company’s insurer, or your own insurer.

The questions depend on who is calling. Most cover what happened, where and when, who was involved, which vehicles were damaged, and whether anyone was hurt. Truck crashes are tracked nationally by the FMCSA large truck and bus crash facts, but that data is not Georgia-specific.

You may be calling from a hospital bed, a rental car counter, or a waiting room. You may still feel shaken. You don’t have to answer every question on the first call. You can say you need time and ask for a call back.

Recorded Statements: Why to Pause Before You Agree

A recorded statement is an audio-recorded question-and-answer session. You can ask for time before you agree to one. Adjusters often ask for one early, while facts are still coming in. Your answers are captured in your own voice, so they can be quoted back to you later.

Before you say yes, ask three things. Ask what the statement is for. Ask whether it will be recorded. Ask for the request in writing. Then take time to review it.

A quick “sure, I’ll give a statement” can grow into a longer talk than you planned. The questions may move from the crash to your speed, your route, or your phone use. Early on, you may not know your full medical picture yet. A spoken answer given before you know it can be read back later. A calm reply works well: “I’d like to review this before I answer.”

Phrases That Can Be Quoted Back to You

Short, casual phrases can be read later as admissions, even when you meant something else. These four are the most common traps.

“I feel okay.” Many injuries, including soft-tissue and head injuries, can appear or worsen after the first hours or days. A casual “I feel okay” may later be read as proof that nothing was hurt. Try “I’m still being checked” instead.

“It was my fault.” Don’t guess or admit fault, even to be polite. Fault is decided from the full facts. Georgia reduces damages by your share of fault, and a plaintiff who is 50 percent or more responsible may not recover damages under the Georgia apportionment statute.

“I was looking at my phone.” Your own attention during the crash belongs in a full, informed discussion. It does not belong in a quick first call.

“I’m thinking about seeing a doctor.” Saying a visit is undecided can be misread. Getting medical care is a health decision, separate from the claim. Georgia’s avoidance rule says that if a person by ordinary care could have avoided the consequences of another’s negligence, that person is not entitled to recover for them.

Also leave out guesses about speed, distance, lane position, or how long you had been driving.

Talking About Your Injuries, Treatment and Medical Bills

Describe only the symptoms you actually have. Say plainly when you haven’t been evaluated yet. Don’t shrink your injuries, and don’t inflate them. Accurate answers protect you.

General damages are those the law presumes flow from a wrongful act, and they can be recovered without proof of an amount. Special damages actually flow from the act and must be proved. Medical bills usually fall into the special group, so your records matter.

Georgia’s rules on recoverable medical expenses have exceptions and have been amended, so the current text of the Georgia medical expense statute should be checked for how it applies to a particular case. If you have health insurance, the evidence of that value can include both the amounts charged and the amounts needed to satisfy the charges under your insurance contract.

Some providers treat patients under a letter of protection, which is a promise to be paid from any settlement. A letter of protection, its itemized charges, and any referral details may become relevant and discoverable in some cases.

You can give the adjuster your provider’s name. You can also decline to discuss records until you understand what is being requested.

Settlement Offers and Signing Documents Too Quickly

Don’t sign a release or accept an offer until you know your medical picture. Early offers are often made before the full course of care is known. An offer made before you understand your injuries may not account for treatment that comes later.

Read every release or form before you sign. Ask what it covers and whether it releases future claims. Then ask yourself two questions. Have I finished my medical care? Do I understand the full picture?

If the answer to either question is no, take more time. Put your questions in writing, and wait for answers before you respond. A short delay is usually better than a rushed signature.

Questions to Ask the Adjuster and a Written Record

Ask for the adjuster’s name, direct phone line, the claim number, the insurer’s name, the documents needed, and what happens next. Write the answers down while you’re on the call.

Keep a call log. Record the date, the time, the person’s name, and what was said. Log every call, email, and letter. Memory fades, and written notes are easier to review later. Keep copies of letters and bills together in one folder.

Inconsistent or incomplete statements can complicate a claim. A clear, matching record of what you said helps keep your account straight.

Quick answers to common adjuster questions

Talk With T. Madden & Associates About Your Situation

If an adjuster has already called about your crash, you can talk through your situation with T. Madden & Associates, P.C. The firm has been in practice since 1999 and has offices in Jonesboro, Atlanta, Decatur, Macon and Augusta.

You may be the one who was hurt, still sore and unsure what you already said. Or you may be helping a family member, friend, or coworker who can’t manage calls right now. Either way, you don’t have to sort out the claim alone.

Contact T. Madden & Associates to set up a free first consultation — confidential, with no obligation to continue.

Responsible lawyer: Terance Madden, T. Madden & Associates, P.C. Contact: tmaddenlaw.com/contact. This page gives general information about Georgia law. It does not predict how any claim will turn out.