Dealing with Insurance Adjusters After an Accident
Dealing with Insurance Adjusters After an Accident
When you’ve been hurt in a crash, it’s natural to assume your insurance company will help you recover. Adjusters are often friendly and suggest they’re “just gathering information.” But remember: the adjuster works for a for-profit insurance company—not for you. Their role is to limit the company’s payout. Our role is the opposite: protect your rights and maximize your recovery.
Key takeaway: Talk to a lawyer before giving a recorded statement or accepting a quick offer. A short consultation now can prevent costly mistakes later.
Quick FAQs
Should I talk to the insurance company right away?
Short answer: Not without legal advice. Anything you say can be used to limit your claim.
Read more: Quick Answers to Common Questions After an Accident.
Why the Adjuster Isn’t Exactly on Your Side
Insurance companies are large, for-profit corporations accountable to shareholders. Every dollar they pay out on claims is a dollar off their bottom line. Adjusters may be polite and even helpful in limited ways, but their job is to minimize what the company pays—by narrowing the issues, discounting injuries, and pushing for fast, low settlements before the full picture is known.
Their job: protect the insurer’s bottom line.
Our job: protect your health, finances, and legal rights.
Common Tactics Adjusters Use
Insurance adjusters often use strategies that sound harmless but are designed to weaken your claim. They may ask for a “simple” recorded statement, but the real goal is to lock in details that can later be used against you, where even small inconsistencies get blown out of proportion. Quick, lowball settlement offers are another common tactic; they arrive before you fully know the extent of your injuries or future medical needs. Once you sign a release, reopening your claim would be very difficult and sometimes not really possible.
Adjusters may also try to minimize or dispute your medical care, suggesting that treatment is excessive, unrelated, or caused by a preexisting condition. In other cases, they run down the clock with delays or bury you in document requests, hoping you’ll accept less just to move on. Through it all, they often keep a friendly tone, sounding supportive, but their loyalty is often to their employer and not to you.
What to Do Before the Adjuster Calls (and After)
- Get medical care immediately and follow your provider’s advice. Gaps in treatment are used to argue you weren’t seriously injured.
- Document everything. Photos of the scene and vehicles, names of witnesses, claim numbers, adjuster names, and all bills/receipts.
- Use precise language. Avoid guessing, minimizing pain, or speculating about fault or injuries.
- Don’t give a recorded statement or sign blanket medical releases without legal guidance.
- Notify your own insurer to preserve benefits (like PIP/MedPay or UM/UIM), but keep communications factual and limited.
- Call a lawyer early. The sooner we’re involved, the better we can protect your claim value and reduce stress.
Free resource: Quick Answers to Common Questions After an Accident
How We Protect Your Claim
When you work with us, our loyalty is always to you—not the insurance company. Our duty is to fight for your best possible outcome. From the beginning, we take over the stress of dealing with adjusters and paperwork so you no longer have to chase calls, decipher confusing forms, or worry about saying the wrong thing.
We also gather and organize the proof that matters, from medical records and wage loss documentation to evidence of pain, suffering, and future care needs. Once we have the full picture, we calculate the true extent of your damages, including past and future medical costs, lost income and earning capacity, property damage, and non-economic losses that insurers often try to minimize.
Because we prepare every case as if it could go before a jury, insurers know we are ready to litigate if necessary. That preparation translates into hard negotiation and stronger settlements. While we build and present your case, your focus stays where it belongs… on healing, while we shoulder the rest.
Specific Considerations for Washington
When it comes to personal injury claims in Washington, strict deadlines apply. In many cases, you have three years to file, but some claims—such as those against a government entity—require much earlier notice. Waiting too long can mean losing your right to recover altogether, which is why getting legal advice right away is so important.
Another key factor is comparative fault. Even if you were partly at fault for the incident, Washington law still allows you to recover compensation. Your award may be reduced by your percentage of responsibility, but you are not automatically barred from seeking damages.
Finally, your own insurance may provide hidden support. Policies often include PIP or MedPay benefits, which can cover medical bills, as well as UM/UIM coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers. We help you use these benefits strategically, making sure you get the care you need without jeopardizing your overall recovery.
Note: This page is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, contact us.
What to Say (and Not Say) to an Adjuster
When you speak with an insurance company after a collision, it’s fine to provide the basics. Your name, contact information, vehicle details, the claim number, and the date, time, and location of the accident are safe to share.
But be cautious, because sometimes the person calling isn’t your insurance company at all. The other driver’s insurance adjuster may also reach out to you. Their job is not to protect you; it’s to protect their insured and minimize payouts. That’s why it’s critical to first identify which insurance company is requesting information before you answer any questions.
Whether it’s your insurer or the other party’s insurer, there are things you should avoid without legal counsel. It’s a good idea to speak with an attorney, and understand your rights and obligations, before agreeing to a recorded statement or an “on the record” phone call.
You may be asked for things that could prove problematic, without speaking to an attorney first. You could be asked to provide detailed descriptions of your injuries, pain levels, or prior conditions, or to sign broad medical authorizations or settlement papers before talking to a lawyer. Doing these things prior to seeking legal advice from an attorney could hurt your case and your ultimate outcome.
If you feel pressured, you can keep the conversation polite but firm with a simple line: “I’m happy to cooperate, but I’m not comfortable giving a recorded statement or signing anything until I’ve spoken with my attorney.” That way you remain cooperative while protecting your rights. Then contact a great attorney right away.
In Washington, insurance coverage is based on a contract and certain levels of cooperation may be required. Rather than feeling intimidated and guessing, let us help you figure out what you need to do and what they need to do to help and protect you.
Washington Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA): Extra Protection from Your Own Insurer
IFCA (RCW 48.30.015) is Washington’s leverage when your own insurer unreasonably denies or delays benefits. It requires good-faith claim handling and, when an insurer crosses the line, lets policyholders seek attorney’s fees, costs, and in some cases up to treble damages—pressure that helps move claims toward fair outcomes.
Applies to First-Party Benefits Only:
- PIP/MedPay medical bills and wage loss
- UM/UIM (uninsured/underinsured motorist) claims
- Collision/property and other coverages under your policy
Important limit: IFCA does not bind the other driver’s insurer. That company owes you no IFCA duties—another reason to have a lawyer handle third-party negotiations while we use IFCA and Washington bad-faith tools to hold your insurer accountable.
Pricing & How Representation Works
Most personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee—you pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you. We’ll explain fees and costs up front in plain English so you can decide with confidence.
Ready for Some Legal Advice?
Free consultation. Get answers before you give a statement or accept an offer. Call Dalton Law Office at 360-213-0013. We are here to help.