Should I Give the Adjuster a Statement?

Posted Monday, April 1, 2013 by Chris Thayer

Claims adjusters try all sorts of tactics to reduce the value and ultimate settlement amount of a personal injury claim. One of the more common techniques Seattle, Washington personal injury attorneys witness adjustors using to low-ball personal injury claims is asking for the claimant to give a statement.

This may seem like an innocent request. But keep in mind that the insurer would ultimately prefer to pay you nothing for your injury. Every word and statement you offer to the adjuster will be used against you during settlement talks and at trial.

Paraphrasing Your Statement

Some adjusters take your statement in person and ask you to sign a document summarizing what you said. Adjusters may follow certain templates based on the type of claim you are making. The questions you are asked in a dog bite claim, for instance, will be different from those you are asked in a car accident claim.

Even though the adjuster may be working off of a list of questions, you will likely talk faster than he or she can write. The document you are asked to sign most likely will not be your exact words, but a paraphrase of what you said.When asked to sign this document, you may think that it is “close enough” to what you actually said, but Seattle, Washington personal injury attorneys urge their clients to make sure their statement says exactly what was said. Small changes or omissions can become big problems later in settlement negotiations or at trial.

Phone Interviews

Because face-to-face meetings are more expensive and time-consuming for the insurance company, an adjuster may try to take your statement over the phone. Even if your statement is recorded, the adjuster assigned to your case will probably work from his or her notes on your statement. Insurers will rarely pay to have phone statements professionally transcribed, especially in routine, low-value claims.

An Attorney Can Help

Too often, by the time claimants contact Seattle, Washington personal injury attorneys, they have already spoken to the insurance company and made possibly harmful statements. Before you provide the adjuster a statement about your personal injury claim, call attorney Chris Thayer at (206) 805-1494.