A note on where this comes from: I have represented injured people for seventeen years, and I have watched the same adjuster playbook run hundreds of times. Several of our partners spent years inside the insurance industry, so we know how these files are built from both sides. What I describe below is not speculation. It is how the process is designed to work.
If an insurance adjuster contacts you after an accident, understand what that call actually is. They are not calling to help you. They are not calling to offer you a meaningful amount of money. They are calling to gather information, lead you away from hiring an attorney, and establish a record that can be used to reduce your claim.
The Three Goals of Every Adjuster Call
From years of handling these cases, I can tell you that every initial contact an adjuster makes with an injured person serves three functions:
- Build a record. Anything you say can be documented, summarized, or recorded. Inconsistencies between what you say on day three and what your medical records show on day thirty are exactly what defense teams use to challenge the severity of your injuries.
- Discourage attorney involvement. Adjusters are trained to project friendliness and reasonableness. The message, delivered subtly, is that hiring an attorney will slow things down and take money from your pocket. That framing exists because represented claimants consistently recover more.
- Get an early settlement signed. A fast, low offer before you know the full extent of your injuries locks in a number the insurance company can defend. Once you sign a release, there is no going back, regardless of what you discover later.
The Recorded Statement
An adjuster may ask you to give a recorded statement. They may frame it as routine, as something that will speed up your claim. It is neither.
A recorded statement is a transcript. It captures your description of the accident, your injuries, and how you feel right now, before your injuries have fully declared themselves. Soft tissue injuries, neurological symptoms, and psychological effects from trauma often worsen or emerge in the weeks following a crash. A recorded statement taken at day five becomes a weapon at month six.
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company, including your own, before speaking with an attorney.
The Medical Authorization Form
Shortly after an accident, you may receive a form asking you to authorize the insurance company to access your medical records. The form is often presented as necessary to process your claim.
Read it carefully. A broad medical authorization can grant access to your entire medical history, not just records related to this accident. Defense teams use pre-existing conditions, prior treatment, and unrelated diagnoses to argue that your current injuries are not caused by the crash.
You have the right to limit any medical authorization to records related to this specific accident and injury. An attorney can help you do that properly.
The Early Settlement Offer
Some adjusters move quickly to a settlement number in the first conversation or two. The offer may feel generous compared to what you expected. It almost never reflects the actual value of your claim.
An early offer is calculated based on what the insurance company thinks you will accept before you understand your lien obligations, before you know how long treatment will take, and before you have talked to a lawyer. Once you sign a release, it is final. If your health insurer has a subrogation lien on the settlement, you may walk away with almost nothing after they are reimbursed.
Do not accept any settlement offer before you know the full extent of your injuries and what liens attach to your recovery.
This Applies to Your Own Insurance Company
A common mistake is assuming that your own insurance company is on your side. They are not your adversary in the same way the at-fault driver’s insurer is, but they are not your advocate either. When you file a PIP claim or a UIM claim with your own carrier, adjusters on that side are also managing costs.
The same rules apply: do not give a recorded statement without talking to an attorney first, do not sign a broad medical release, and do not accept a settlement before you understand what you are giving up.
What to Do Instead
You are not required to speak with any insurance adjuster without an attorney present. You can tell them you are represented, or that you will be, and direct further contact through your attorney. Once you have legal representation, adjusters are required to communicate through your counsel.
The initial consultation at Vames Wang Sosa Hood is free. If you have already been contacted by an adjuster and are not sure what you may have said or agreed to, we can review where things stand and tell you what your options are.
Has an adjuster already contacted you?
Free consultation. No obligation. We will tell you what was said, what it means, and what to do next. No fee unless we win.
Partner · Vames Wang Sosa Hood
Nathan Sosa has represented injured people in auto accident and premises liability cases for seventeen years as a partner at Vames Wang Sosa Hood. He uses that experience to anticipate and counter the strategies insurers use against injured Oregonians.
View full profileThis article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Oregon law is subject to change. Statutory references are current as of the date of publication. Contact Vames Wang Sosa Hood for legal counsel specific to your situation.