Got a Call From a Trucking Company's Insurer? Here's What to Know

If a trucking company insurance adjuster called me, the short answer is this: the adjuster works for the insurer, not for you. You may take time before you answer questions, give a recorded statement, or sign anything. This guide explains who the caller represents, what the call may mean for your claim, and what Virginia law may mean for your next steps. Correll Law Firm is a Virginia personal injury firm based in Winchester, with an office in Harrisonburg, and it handles truck and commercial vehicle crash claims.

The Adjuster Works for the Insurer, Not for You

The adjuster represents the trucking company’s insurer, not the injured person or the family. Their job is to evaluate and resolve claims for that insurance company. That work can mean offering less than an injured person hoped for. An adjuster can sound kind and still be working toward the insurer’s goals.

The call may come from the trucking company, from its insurer, or from a third-party claims firm hired by either one. A third-party claims firm handles claims for someone else. Ask who the caller works for, and write down the name and the company.

Virginia law can also make more than one party answerable for the same crash. A statement to one insurer can therefore affect more than one part of a claim.

Why the Call May Come Early

An early call is possible, because commercial carriers may open a claim file quickly after a crash involving a company truck. A truck crash can involve a driver, a company, and an insurer, each with its own records and its own timeline. If a trucking company insurance adjuster called me within days, that timing is common enough to expect.

Early contact can help the insurer. It may want the facts while memories are fresh and before the full medical picture is known. An early account from you can shape the file, even if you were still shaken when you spoke.

Timing varies from claim to claim. Do not assume a set schedule, and do not assume a quiet week means the claim is closed. A call may come later with new questions, or from a different person at the same company. A simple log of who called and when can help you keep track.

A Recorded Statement Can Be Quoted Later

A recorded statement is an account of the crash that the adjuster asks you to give on the record, usually by phone. The adjuster may ask to record the call. Then the questions often cover where you were going, what you saw, and how you feel. The recording becomes part of the claim file.

Words from a recorded statement can be quoted back later in the claim. A short answer given in the first days after a crash can be read against you if facts come out later. This can happen even when the answer was honest but incomplete. Memory of a frightening event is often partial, and a guess can sound like a fact on tape.

You may ask for time before you decide. You can say you will answer questions in writing, or that you would like to speak after you have had time to think. A calm, plain “not yet” is a complete answer.

What to Say and What to Avoid on the Call

Keep your answers short, factual, and limited to what you saw and remember. On fault, one rule in Virginia matters a great deal:

Virginia follows contributory negligence: if you are found even partly at fault, you may be barred from recovering, with limited exceptions. Talk to a lawyer about your facts.

Adjusters may ask questions that suggest you caused the crash, such as whether you could have avoided the truck. Answer only what you saw, and say “I don’t know” when you don’t know.

Avoid guessing about speed, following distance, or what the truck driver did. Avoid calling your injuries minor, and avoid saying you feel fine or fully recovered. Injuries can change over days, and a casual phrase can be repeated later.

Avoid long talks about social media posts, past health history, or daily activities. Ask for the caller’s name, company, and claim number. Ask that any future contact be in writing.

An Early Offer or Signed Release Can Limit Your Claim

A signed release can end or limit later claims, so read every document before you sign. Under Va. Code § 8.01-35.1, when a release or a covenant not to sue is given in good faith to one of several persons liable for the same injury to a person or property, or the same wrongful death, it does not discharge any other person from liability unless its terms so provide. A release from one party may not end the claim against everyone. Its wording still controls what it does, so read it closely.

An offer may come before doctors know how your injuries will heal. An offer made in the first weeks may not account for later treatment or time away from work. Take your time with any offer.

Adjusters may also send forms, medical authorizations, and requests for records. A medical authorization lets others see your health records. Read each one carefully, ask what it covers and how long it lasts, and keep a copy of anything you sign.

Trucking Rules and Documents That May Shape the Claim

Federal rules on driver hours and insurance can create records that matter to a truck crash claim. These rules set limits for drivers and carriers. Under federal rules, a driver may not drive without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty. A driver may not drive after 14 consecutive hours following that rest, and may drive no more than 11 hours in that period. 49 C.F.R. § 395.3 sets limits on driving time and on-duty hours for drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles.

Federal minimum insurance levels also apply. For many for-hire carriers in interstate or foreign commerce, with vehicles rated at 10,001 pounds or more, the minimum public liability level is $750,000 for nonhazardous property. See 49 C.F.R. § 387.9. The Virginia DMV’s motor-carrier insurance filing page describes the filings insurers may make for carriers.

Keep the documents that show what happened. These include the police report, photos of the scene and vehicles, witness names, medical bills, and any letters from the insurer. The firm’s guides on truck driver hours of service rules and semi truck insurance minimums explain these topics in more detail.

Injuries That May Surface Later

Some injuries from truck crashes are not fully clear for days or weeks. Broken bones and ligament damage can take time to show their full effect. Symptoms can also change as healing begins. The firm’s guide on broken bones and ligament damage in semi truck crashes covers these injuries in more detail.

This delay matters for claims. An adjuster may treat an early statement like “I’m fine” as the final word, even when you were only describing how you felt that day. Describe your symptoms as they are, and update the record when they change.

Keep every medical appointment. Tell each provider about every symptom, including ones that seem small, such as headaches, numbness, or pain that moves. Keep copies of discharge papers, prescriptions, and therapy notes. An accurate record gives everyone a clearer view of what happened.

When You May Wish to Speak With a Lawyer

You may wish to speak with a lawyer before you give a recorded statement, sign a release, or accept an offer. A lawyer can explain how the rules apply to your specific facts.

Virginia generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Va. Code § 8.01-243(A)); the clock runs from the date of injury, not the date of discovery, with narrow exceptions. Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) addresses the time within which an action for personal injuries must be brought.

Some claims carry notice requirements that run out sooner than the lawsuit deadline, so waiting can carry risk. The firm’s truck accident lawyer overview describes how the firm handles truck crash claims in Virginia.

Questions Readers Ask About Trucking Insurance Calls

The call is part of the insurer’s claim process, and you may choose when and how to respond. The questions below cover the most common concerns.