The Law Offices of James M. Freeman, P.C.

If you think you are going to handle your claim on your own and there aren't going to be any lawyers involved you are fooling yourself. Insurance companies have armies of lawyers working for them. I formerly was a foot soldier in just such an army, and I can tell you from experience that adjusters are trained to elicit information that will help in the defense against any given claim.

Recorded statements are the best example. I have heard adjusters ask, "Would you like to give a recorded statement?" as if to imply they are helping you. Someone who doesn't know any better might think they are being honest and solidifying their case by submitting to a recorded statement. I have never seen a recorded statement help a claimant, but time and time again I have seen recorded statements used by an insurance company or their counsel to defend against a claimant. Adjusters are trained in clever methods to elicit a recorded statement because recorded statements are such a powerful tool for defending claims. Where does this training come from? The countless defense experiences of the army of insurance defense lawyers.

The illusion of the nobility of handling one's own claim benefits the insurance industry and allows them to deal at an advantage when a claimant decides not to hire a lawyer. A claimant with a lawyer, on the other hand, is insulated from the insurance company and their defense team. The lawyer handles the release of information to the benefit of the client. An experienced lawyer will level the playing field so that both parties, claimant and insurance company, are dealt with fairly.