An Injury Lawyer in Macon County Discusses Common Tricks Used by Adjusters

In an effort to achieve a quick settlement and give as small a settlement as possible, adjusters may use any number of dirty tricks and ploys. The most common types that an injury lawyer in Macon County is aware of are listed below.

“I Would Like to Get Your Statement”

While obtaining a statement is a legitimate action in a personal injury case, your injury lawyer in Macon County will tell you it may not be quite as innocent as it appears. An adjuster’s job is to investigate a claim by gathering the facts. Obtaining the statements of everyone involved in the incident is one of the key ways to do conduct an investigation. An adjuster will usually attempt to obtain a recorded or signed statement; if these options are not available he or she will try to schedule an interview.

Signed Statements

During the process of obtaining signed statements, the adjuster asks questions and writes the answers down as quickly as possible in order to accurately capture the claimant’s answers. After all the questions have been asked the claimant will be asked to go over the statement and correct anything that is wrong, initialing all corrections. Then the claimant will be requested to sign the bottom of every page, and sometimes be requested to write that he or she has read each page and that each is true. The claimant’s signature is required after this as well, and someone nearby may act as a witness. A copy of the statement may be given to you and your injury lawyer in Macon County. If not, you can request one. Your injury lawyer in Macon County will advise that if you do not obtain a statement copy at this time, you may have difficulty obtaining one in the future.

Recorded Statements

A recorded statement can take place in person or over the phone, and consists of the claimant’s statement being recorded by the adjuster with a cassette recorder or some other type of recorder. Some insurance carriers prefer a statement recorded over the phone since they require less expenditure of time and money. Recorded statements are either transcribed by a typist or handwritten by the adjuster.

Contact an Injury Attorney in Macon County

An injury attorney in Macon County may be able to assist you if you have been requested to give a statement in your personal injury case. Knowing what to expect and how the process works may benefit your case. Please contact the law offices of McCarthy Rowden & Baker at 800-373-6050 to schedule a free consultation.