Casualty Adjusters: Take an Effective Recorded Statement

If you're a casualty adjuster, a professional who settles injury cases, you know that getting an effective recorded statement can help in the negotiation and settlement of a claim. The information you gain from what different parties in an auto accident say on tape can help you piece together what actually happened and how badly the injured party was really hurt.

Step1. Get permission.
Prior to turning on the tape, get permission from the other party to record his statement. Then, do it again after you push the magic button. You want proof that you didn't coerce the person you're talking to into doing anything he didn't want to without his knowledge or authority.

Step 2. Ask identifying questions.
You won't take an effective, useful recorded statement without identifying whom you are talking to on tape. So, before you delve into the meat of your interview, ask the other party for his date of birth, social security number, address, phone number and name. This way, you, an opposing casualty adjuster or attorney is clear on who said what about the auto accident.

Step 3. Obtain the who's and why's.
Before you end your recorded statement, be sure you obtain the facts surrounding the accident. You need information on the time, place, people and cars at the scene. These tidbits can help you paint a picture in your head of how severe the incident was and if a person could sustain certain types of injuries. Without these details, you will just be shooting in the dark, especially if there isn't a police report.

Step 4. Talk in-depth about the injuries.
A major key to taking an effective recorded statement is to get as much information as possible about any injuries. Ask all involved parties questions about who was hurt, if there was blood, broken bones and/or an ambulance. Also, directly ask the injured party about his injuries, how he got them in the accident, any treatment at the scene or at a later date. Don't forget to query about pre-existing injuries to rule out a fraud.

Step 5. Reconfirm your permission to record.
After you've thoroughly discussed the details of the accident and any injuries, conclude your recorded statement by reconfirming you had permission to take it in the first place. Again, you want to verify that the party you're talking to is not speaking under duress and gave you the green light to tape the conversation.

These five steps will help you take an effective recorded statement. Use them and, overall, you'll get the information you need to handle you cases with few errors.