GEICO Car Accident Claim After a Dallas Wreck: What Injured Victims Need to Know

f you were injured in a Dallas car wreck and the driver who hit you has GEICO insurance, you may receive a call from a GEICO claims adjuster shortly after the collision.

You may also be thinking about calling GEICO yourself to open a bodily injury claim.

Before you have a detailed conversation with GEICO about how the wreck happened, your injuries, your medical history, or what you believe your claim is worth, consider talking with a Dallas car accident lawyer first.

The first few days after a serious car accident can be important.

You may still be hurting. You may not know the full extent of your injuries. You may not have received an MRI, seen a specialist, or learned whether you will need physical therapy, injections, surgery, or other medical treatment.

Meanwhile, GEICO may already be investigating the collision.

An adjuster may ask questions about:

• How the wreck happened;

• Which lane you were traveling in;

• What you saw before the impact;

• Whether you could have avoided the collision;

• Whether you were distracted;

• Whether you were wearing your seat belt;

• When your pain began;

• Whether you have suffered similar injuries before;

• Where you have received medical treatment;

• Whether you missed work; and

• How you are feeling now.

Those questions may sound routine.

But your answers can become part of GEICO's investigation and evaluation of your personal injury claim.

If you suffered significant injuries in a Dallas car wreck, you do not have to handle the insurance process alone.

The Wooley Law Firm represents people injured in motor vehicle accidents throughout Dallas and North Texas. We can investigate the wreck, preserve evidence, communicate with GEICO, document your medical treatment and damages, identify available insurance coverage, and evaluate any settlement offer before you sign away your claim.

Should I Call GEICO After a Dallas Car Accident?

If the driver who caused your Dallas car accident is insured by GEICO, a third-party liability claim generally needs to be reported so GEICO can investigate the collision.

But there is an important difference between reporting the claim and providing GEICO with a lengthy recorded statement about the accident and your injuries.

GEICO explains that its claims process can involve collecting information about the accident, the drivers and vehicles involved, injuries, photographs, police information, and other documentation.

If you were injured, consider speaking with an attorney before discussing the details of your bodily injury claim with GEICO.

A Dallas car accident attorney can help you determine:

• What information GEICO reasonably needs to investigate the claim;

• Whether you should provide a recorded statement;

• What photographs, videos, or electronic evidence should be preserved;

• Whether another driver or company may also be responsible;

• Whether additional insurance policies may apply;

• How your medical treatment should be documented;

• Whether your own PIP, MedPay, collision, or UM/UIM coverage may apply; and

• How communications with GEICO should be handled.

If GEICO insures the driver who hit you, remember that the GEICO liability adjuster does not represent you.

The adjuster is investigating a claim being asserted against GEICO's insured.

For more information about these early conversations, read our guide on what to say when an insurance company calls after a Dallas car or truck wreck.

How Does a GEICO Car Accident Claim Work?

Every claim is different, but GEICO generally begins by gathering information about the collision.

According to GEICO's own claims information, the company allows accidents to be reported online, through its mobile app, or by telephone.

Information requested may include:

• The state where the accident occurred;

• The date and time of the wreck;

• A description of what happened;

• Contact information for the parties;

• Vehicle information;

• The location of damaged vehicles;

• Property damage information; and

• Police report information.

After a claim is reported, GEICO may investigate the accident, evaluate liability, inspect vehicle damage, and address bodily injury claims.

Opening a GEICO claim does not mean GEICO has accepted responsibility for the crash.

The insurance company may investigate both who caused the wreck and how badly you were injured.

What Does GEICO Investigate After a Dallas Wreck?

Who Caused the Crash?

GEICO may consider evidence including:

• The Dallas Police Department or other police crash report;

• Driver statements;

• Witness statements;

• Photographs of the vehicles;

• Photographs of the crash scene;

• Dash-camera footage;

• Nearby surveillance video;

• Vehicle damage;

• Traffic citations;

• Roadway evidence;

• Electronic vehicle information; and

• Other evidence concerning how the collision occurred.

An insurance company does not necessarily have to accept a police officer's preliminary conclusion about fault.

GEICO may conduct its own investigation.

The adjuster may also look for evidence that you contributed to the collision.

That matters because Texas follows proportionate-responsibility rules that can affect a personal injury claim when multiple people share responsibility for an accident.

For example, an adjuster may ask whether you were:

• Speeding;

• Changing lanes;

• Using your phone;

• Following too closely;

• Distracted;

• Able to stop sooner; or

• Doing anything else immediately before the collision.

Do not guess about facts you do not know.

If you are unsure of a speed, distance, timing, or other detail, it may be better to explain that you do not know than to make an estimate that later turns out to be inaccurate.

What If GEICO Wants a Recorded Statement?

A GEICO adjuster may ask for a recorded statement after the collision.

If GEICO insures the other driver, do not assume that you are required to provide a recorded statement simply because the adjuster requests one.

A recorded statement can create a permanent account of what you say early in the claim.

The problem is timing.

You may be asked detailed questions only days after the crash, before:

• You have obtained the crash report;

• You have seen available video;

• Witnesses have been interviewed;

• Your injuries have been fully diagnosed;

• You have undergone MRI or other imaging;

• You have seen a specialist; or

• You understand whether your injuries may require future treatment.

You may also be asked questions about your medical history.

For example:

Have you ever had neck pain before?

Have you ever injured your lower back?

Have you been involved in another car wreck?

Were you already treating with a doctor before this accident?

Those issues can matter, but the answers may require context.

If GEICO is requesting a recorded statement after a serious Dallas car accident, consider speaking with an attorney first.

Our article on insurance-company calls after Dallas car and truck wrecks explains why these early conversations can become important later in the claim.

Why Saying “I'm Fine” Can Create Problems

One of the simplest questions an adjuster may ask is:

“How are you doing?”

Most people instinctively respond:

“I'm fine.”

“I'm okay.”

“Just sore.”

That may simply be your normal way of responding to someone who asks how you are doing.

But shortly after a car accident, you may not yet understand the full extent of your injuries.

Neck and back injuries, concussions, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, and other conditions may become more apparent as time passes or after diagnostic imaging.

An insurance company may later compare an early statement with the injuries you claim.

Be truthful, but do not minimize symptoms simply to be polite.

What If GEICO Says My Injuries Were Pre-Existing?

Prior medical conditions are frequently raised in personal injury claims.

Having previous neck pain, back pain, arthritis, a prior surgery, an earlier car accident, or another medical condition does not automatically mean a new wreck caused no injury.

Depending on the evidence, a collision could:

• Cause an entirely new injury;

• Aggravate an existing condition;

• Make an asymptomatic condition symptomatic; or

• Increase the severity or frequency of existing symptoms.

Medical records can become extremely important when an insurance company disputes causation.

The relevant question is not simply whether you had treatment before the crash.

It is how your condition before the wreck compares with your condition afterward.

GEICO May Review Your Medical Treatment

In a bodily injury claim, GEICO may evaluate issues including:

• Whether you went to the emergency room;

• How quickly you sought treatment;

• The symptoms you reported;

• Whether you followed medical recommendations;

• Whether there were gaps in treatment;

• MRI or CT findings;

• Specialist evaluations;

• Physical therapy;

• Pain-management treatment;

• Recommended injections;

• Surgery recommendations;

• Medical expenses;

• Previous medical conditions; and

• Whether future care may be necessary.

This is one reason you generally should not rush to settle a serious injury claim before you understand your medical condition.

Our guide to getting medical care after a Dallas car accident explains medical bills, hospital liens, treatment, and some of the issues injured people may encounter after a wreck.

What Is a GEICO Car Accident Claim Worth?

There is no fixed settlement value for a GEICO car accident claim.

The value of an injury claim depends on the evidence and circumstances of the individual case.

Relevant factors may include:

• How the collision occurred;

• The strength of the liability evidence;

• Whether responsibility is disputed;

• The nature of your injuries;

• Emergency medical treatment;

• Diagnostic imaging;

• Medical bills;

• Future medical treatment;

• Whether surgery is required;

• Physical impairment;

• Lost wages;

• Reduced earning capacity;

• Pain and physical limitations;

• Available insurance coverage; and

• Whether another person or business shares responsibility.

Two people involved in similar-looking collisions can have dramatically different injuries and damages.

A settlement should be evaluated based on the evidence in the individual claim—not merely the type of accident or the name of the insurance company.

What If GEICO Makes Me a Quick Settlement Offer?

An insurance company may sometimes attempt to resolve a claim before all medical treatment is complete.

A quick settlement is not automatically a bad settlement.

But you should understand exactly what you are giving up before accepting one.

Before resolving a serious injury claim, consider whether you know:

• Your final diagnosis;

• Whether you need an MRI;

• Whether you have seen the appropriate specialist;

• Whether injections have been recommended;

• Whether surgery may be necessary;

• How long you may be unable to work;

• Whether you may have permanent symptoms;

• The amount of your medical bills;

• Whether health-insurance reimbursement claims or medical liens exist; and

• Whether enough insurance coverage is available.

Most bodily injury settlements require the injured person to sign a release.

The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel warns injured claimants to carefully review releases in third-party auto claims because signing a release generally ends the injury claim being released.

Once a claim has been finally settled and released, you generally cannot simply reopen it because your injuries later became worse.

That is why it can be important to understand your medical condition before signing settlement documents.

What If the GEICO Driver Does Not Have Enough Insurance?

Even when GEICO accepts a claim, the other driver's liability limits may not be enough to cover the full damages from a serious accident.

Medical treatment, hospitalization, surgery, lost income, and multiple injured people can exhaust available liability insurance.

Additional coverage may potentially include your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, depending on your policy and the circumstances.

Read our detailed guide to Texas uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

The Wooley Law Firm also has a dedicated page explaining how a Dallas uninsured and underinsured motorist attorney can help investigate additional insurance coverage after a serious wreck.

There may also be other potentially responsible parties when:

• The driver was working at the time of the wreck;

• A business owned the vehicle;

• Another driver contributed to the collision;

• A defective vehicle or component contributed to the crash; or

• Another applicable insurance policy exists.

Identifying all available coverage can be particularly important after catastrophic injuries.

What If I Also Have GEICO Insurance?

Sometimes GEICO insures both the person who caused the collision and the person who was injured.

That can create several separate claims under different portions of insurance coverage.

For example, you might have:

• A liability claim against the other driver's GEICO policy;

• A collision claim under your own policy;

• A Personal Injury Protection claim;

• A Medical Payments claim;

• An uninsured or underinsured motorist claim; or

• Another first-party coverage claim.

Do not assume every GEICO adjuster calling you is working on the same claim.

Ask which claim the adjuster is handling and which policy the adjuster represents.

Your duties under your own insurance policy may differ from your obligations when dealing with the other driver's liability insurer.

The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel explains that a claim against your own insurer is generally referred to as a first-party claim, while a claim against another driver's insurance company is a third-party claim.

That distinction can matter when deciding what information must be provided and what rules apply.

Can GEICO Ask for My Medical Records?

An insurer investigating a bodily injury claim may request medical records or authorizations.

Before signing a broad medical authorization, understand what information the authorization allows the insurer to obtain.

A request may potentially reach records that predate the collision.

Prior medical records can be relevant when the insurance company contends that:

• Your injuries existed before the crash;

• The collision merely caused temporary soreness;

• Your symptoms came from another accident;

• A prior surgery explains your complaints; or

• Some treatment is unrelated to the wreck.

That does not mean every medical record from your entire lifetime is automatically relevant.

If you have serious injuries or a complicated medical history, consider speaking with an attorney before signing a broad authorization.

What If GEICO Blames Me for the Wreck?

Do not assume GEICO's liability determination is the final word.

Insurance companies make claim decisions based on the information available to them.

Additional evidence can sometimes change the liability analysis.

Important evidence may include:

• Dash-camera footage;

• Traffic-camera footage;

• Surveillance video;

• 911 calls;

• Body-camera recordings;

• Witness statements;

• Vehicle event data;

• Cell-phone evidence where appropriate;

• Vehicle photographs;

• Scene photographs; and

• Accident reconstruction evidence in serious cases.

Preserving evidence quickly can be especially important because surveillance footage and electronic information may not remain available indefinitely.

Third-Party GEICO Claims in Texas

When GEICO insures the driver who allegedly caused the accident, you are generally pursuing a third-party insurance claim.

The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel's third-party auto claim guide explains that a claim against another driver's insurance company differs from a claim under your own auto policy.

Among other things, the other driver's insurance company may investigate whether its policyholder caused the accident before agreeing to pay the claim.

This distinction is important because rules that apply when dealing with your own insurance company may not apply in exactly the same way to a liability claim against another driver's carrier.

Be cautious about applying general insurance advice you find online without first determining whether you are dealing with:

• A third-party liability claim;

• Your own collision coverage;

• PIP;

• MedPay;

• UM/UIM; or

• Another first-party benefit.

When Should I Contact a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer About a GEICO Claim?

Consider contacting a lawyer when:

• You were transported to the hospital;

• You suffered a significant injury;

• An MRI or CT scan revealed an injury;

• You were referred to a specialist;

• Injections have been recommended;

• Surgery may be necessary;

• You have substantial medical bills;

• You are missing work;

• Liability is disputed;

• GEICO says you contributed to the accident;

• GEICO wants a recorded statement;

• GEICO is requesting extensive prior medical records;

• GEICO claims your injuries were pre-existing;

• GEICO has denied the claim;

• You received a settlement offer;

• The at-fault driver's limits may be inadequate;

• Multiple vehicles were involved; or

• You are being asked to sign a release.

You do not have to wait until the insurance company denies the claim before speaking with an attorney.

It can be easier to investigate a collision and preserve important evidence near the beginning of the claim.

How The Wooley Law Firm Can Help With a GEICO Car Accident Claim

If you hire The Wooley Law Firm following a serious Dallas car accident, we can handle communications with GEICO while you focus on your medical treatment and recovery.

Depending on the circumstances of the case, our work may include:

• Investigating how the collision occurred;

• Obtaining the police crash report;

• Preserving photographs and video;

• Identifying and interviewing witnesses;

• Obtaining available electronic evidence;

• Communicating with GEICO;

• Investigating all applicable insurance policies;

• Gathering medical records and bills;

• Documenting lost income;

• Reviewing medical liens and reimbursement claims;

• Evaluating future treatment;

• Preparing a settlement demand;

• Negotiating the bodily injury claim;

• Reviewing settlement releases; and

• Filing a lawsuit when necessary.

We represent injured drivers and passengers after serious wrecks throughout Dallas, including collisions on I-35E, I-30, I-20, I-635, US-75, I-45, the Dallas North Tollway, Loop 12, and streets throughout Dallas County.

If a GEICO-insured driver caused your wreck, GEICO may begin investigating the collision immediately.

You can have someone investigating it for you too.

You can also read our guide to the most popular auto insurance companies in Dallas-Fort Worth, which discusses GEICO, State Farm, Progressive, Allstate, USAA, Farmers, Texas Farm Bureau, and other carriers Dallas drivers commonly encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions About GEICO Car Accident Claims in Dallas

Should I call GEICO myself after a Dallas wreck?

The accident generally needs to be reported so a claim can be opened. If you were injured, however, consider speaking with a Dallas car accident lawyer before giving GEICO a detailed or recorded statement about the collision and your injuries.

Does the GEICO adjuster represent me?

If GEICO insures the other driver, the liability adjuster does not represent you. The adjuster is investigating and evaluating the claim being asserted against GEICO's insured.

Do I have to give GEICO a recorded statement?

Do not assume you must give the other driver's insurance company a recorded statement simply because an adjuster asks for one. Your obligations may be different if GEICO is your own insurer and you are making a claim under your own policy.

Can GEICO deny my claim even if the police report blames its driver?

An insurance company can conduct its own investigation. A police report can be important evidence, but GEICO may also consider statements, photographs, video, vehicle damage, witnesses, and other evidence.

Should I accept GEICO's settlement offer?

That depends on your injuries, medical treatment, future care, lost income, available coverage, liability evidence, and other damages. Before signing a release, make sure you understand what claims and rights you are giving up.

What if the GEICO driver's policy limits are too low?

Depending on the circumstances, additional recovery may potentially be available through underinsured motorist coverage, another responsible party, another insurance policy, or another source.

Injured by a GEICO-Insured Driver? Talk to a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer

If another driver caused a wreck in Dallas and GEICO is handling the insurance claim, consider talking with a lawyer before giving a detailed recorded statement, signing a broad medical authorization, accepting a settlement offer, or signing a release.

The insurance company has professionals investigating the claim.

You can have someone protecting your interests as well.

The Wooley Law Firm represents people injured in car accidents throughout Dallas and North Texas.

We can investigate what happened, preserve evidence, communicate with GEICO and other insurance companies, identify available coverage, collect medical documentation, evaluate your damages, negotiate the claim, and file a lawsuit when necessary.

Learn more about how we represent injured motorists on our Dallas car accident lawyer page.

Call The Wooley Law Firm at (214) 699-6524 for a free consultation. You don't pay unless we win.

You can also contact The Wooley Law Firm online.

Tell us what happened. We can review your Dallas car accident claim and explain the options that may be available.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship. Insurance coverage depends on the applicable policy and the facts of the individual claim. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.