Adjuster Investigation

Posted Sunday, November 29, 2015 by Chris Thayer

A Seattle Personal Injury Claim Attorney on How Adjusters Obtain Information on Your Claim

Insurance claims adjusters have heavy caseloads and voluminous amounts of paperwork coming across their desk every day. Many, however, feel the need to do more by conducting their own undercover operations to investigate the injured plaintiff.

Discrediting Your Claim

If the adjuster has any reason to suspect you are not injured as badly as you claim or are not injured at all, he or she will try to gather evidence to support that conjecture.

Sub Rosa Investigation

Sub rosa is a Latin term meaning “under the rose,” which was an ancient symbol of secrecy or privacy. Today, the term refers to surveillance conducted secretly. Photographs or video of a personal injury plaintiff performing an activity that he or she supposedly could not do because of the claimed injury can severely damage the claimant’s case.

Canvassing the Neighborhood

Although an adjuster will seldom seek the photographic evidence directly, many adjusters will visit the neighborhood of the claimant and speak with the neighbors. The adjuster will attempt to make this seem like a casual encounter and ask non-threatening questions, which attempt to reveal some contradiction in what the claimant has alleged. For instance, questions will focus on whether the neighbors:

• Were aware the plaintiff filed an injury claim
• Have observed the plaintiff doing yard work, shoveling snow or even taking out the garbage cans
• Have observed the plaintiff engaging in any sporting activities

Private Investigator

If the adjuster believes there is a possibility of fraud, a private investigator may be hired to follow the plaintiff.

Contact a Seattle Injury Lawyer for Legal Advice

Your conduct as the claimant in an injury claim plays a vital role in the case’s ultimate resolution. Learn what to do and what not to do. Call Chris Thayer, a Seattle personal injury claim attorney, at (866) 884-2417.