The trucking company’s insurance adjuster wants to offer us a settlement, but he says he needs our medical records to estimate how much. Should I send them?

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No! It may seem logical that an adjuster would need to estimate how much to grant in a claim based on your medical records, but it is unlikely that he is asking in order to offer you a truck crash settlement.

Adjusters work for insurance companies, and do not have your best interests at heart. Their job is to pay as little as possible to victims, and in most cases they will try to avoid paying anything at all. When you sign a medical authorization form, adjusters can see all of your past conditions, not just the ones that occurred during your accident. This means they can use your medical records against you in a number of ways, including:

  • Past injuries – Insurers may claim that a former injury was aggravated by the accident, but not caused by it.
  • Chronic conditions – Recent eye surgeries or head trauma could have impaired your senses, making you liable for the crash.
  • Medications – If you were prescribed narcotics or sleep aids at the time of the crash, an adjuster may claim that you were driving under the influence of prescription medication.

The only person you should speak to after a semi accident injury is an attorney who has successfully dealt with trucking cases before. Your lawyer should have plenty of experience handling trucking companies, claims adjusters, and insurance providers, and should be willing to speak to them on your behalf to protect you and your family from a grossly reduced settlement.

To find out all the answers to your legal questions after a Kentucky semi accident, call Gray and White today at 888-450-4456 for a FREE, one-on-one consultation with a trusted attorney, or browse our related articles for information on dealing with claims adjusters.