Why You Shouldn't Speak WIth An Insurance Adjuster After Being Injured In a Collision

After a car wreck, it’s natural to want to get things handled quickly especially if an insurance adjuster calls offering to “help” or “get your claim started.” But before you say a single word, you need to know this: talking to an insurance adjuster after a wreck in Alabama can seriously hurt your case.

Here’s why staying silent (and calling an attorney first) is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself.

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1. Insurance Adjusters Work for the Insurance Company. Not You

No matter how friendly or understanding they seem, adjusters are trained professionals whose job is to save their company money.
That means they’re looking for ways to minimize your claim or deny it altogether.

They may ask you leading questions, twist your words, or get you to agree to a version of events that benefits the insurance company, not you. Even simple statements like “I’m feeling okay” or “I didn’t see him coming” can be used against you later.

3. You May Not Know the Full Extent of Your Injuries Yet

Right after a wreck, adrenaline is high. You might not feel pain until days later, when injuries like whiplash, soft tissue damage, or even concussions start to show symptoms.

If you tell an adjuster that you’re “fine” or that you “don’t need medical treatment,” they’ll use that statement to argue that you weren’t really hurt even if you later discover serious injuries. Additionally, insurance companies use their first conversation with you to assign an adjuster with appropriate authority to your claim. If you say your fine or do not properly convey the extent of your injuries, you may be assigned an adjuster with inadequate authority to properly make offers on your claim. For example, if you have a case worth $20,000.00, an adjuster with $25,000.00 in authority can make an offer of $20,000.00 much easier than an adjuster with $10,000.00 in authority.

4. They’ll Push You to Settle Too Soon

Insurance companies love early settlements because it locks you into a low payout before you know what your case is really worth.

Once you sign a release, you can’t go back for more even if you later need surgery, physical therapy, or miss more work than expected. Talking to an adjuster makes it easier for them to pressure you into a bad deal. At Jay Dunn, Attorney at Law, we have had people call countless times after accepting a bad offer. Once a release is signed, its difficult to go back.

5. A Lawyer Can Handle the Insurance Company for You

When you have an experienced Alabama personal injury lawyer on your side, you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing.
Your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance company, protect your rights, and make sure you’re treated fairly.

At Jay Dunn, Attorney at Law, we deal with insurance companies every day. We know their tactics and we know how to make them pay what’s fair.

Bottom Line

After a wreck, the best thing you can do is:

1. Get medical care.

2. Report the accident.

3. Call an attorney before talking to any insurance adjuster.

Protect your rights. Don’t let the insurance company control your story.

If you’ve been in a car wreck in Alabama, call Jay Dunn, Attorney at Law.
We’ll handle the insurance company so you can focus on healing.

2. Alabama’s Harsh “Contributory Negligence” Rule

Alabama is one of only a few states that still follows the contributory negligence rule.
That means if the insurance company can prove you were even 1% at fault, you can be completely barred from recovering any compensation.

Insurance adjusters know this and they’ll try to get you to say something, anything, that sounds like you share part of the blame. Once they have that, your case becomes much harder to win.