Texas Farm Bureau Car Accident Claim After a Dallas Wreck: What Injured Victims Need to Know

If you were injured in a Dallas car wreck and the driver who hit you has Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, you may soon be dealing with a Texas Farm Bureau claims adjuster.

You may receive a call asking how the collision happened, whether you were injured, where you received medical treatment, and whether you have had similar medical problems before.

Before giving a detailed statement about the wreck, discussing your medical history, signing a broad medical authorization, or accepting an injury settlement, consider speaking with a Dallas car accident lawyer.

The first few days after a serious collision can be important.

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

Meanwhile, Texas Farm Bureau may already be investigating the claim.

That does not mean you should refuse to communicate with the insurance company. It means you should understand who the adjuster represents, what claim is being investigated, and what information is being requested before answering detailed questions.

How Does a Texas Farm Bureau Car Accident Claim Work?

Texas Farm Bureau Insurance allows claims to be reported through its claims center or by telephone.

According to Texas Farm Bureau, once a claim is reported:

1. The claim is assigned to an adjuster.

2. The adjuster reviews the applicable policy and coverages.

3. Texas Farm Bureau contacts the people involved to learn what happened.

4. The company may inspect the vehicle and prepare an estimate.

5. Payment may be issued for covered damage based on the applicable policy and claim.

That process can look different when you are making an injury claim against another driver's Texas Farm Bureau policy rather than making a claim under your own insurance.

Opening a claim also does not necessarily mean Texas Farm Bureau has accepted responsibility for the collision.

The insurer may investigate:

• Whether its insured caused the wreck;

• Whether another driver contributed to the accident;

• Whether the policy provides coverage;

• The amount of vehicle damage;

• Whether your injuries resulted from the crash;

• Whether your medical treatment is related;

• Your lost wages;

• Whether you had prior similar medical conditions; and

• The amount of damages being claimed.

Should I Call Texas Farm Bureau After a Dallas Car Accident?

If the driver who caused the collision is insured by Texas Farm Bureau, the accident generally needs to be reported so a claim can be opened.

But there is an important difference between reporting the accident and giving a lengthy recorded statement concerning liability, your injuries, and your medical history.

Texas Farm Bureau states that after a claim is reported, its adjuster will contact the parties to determine what happened.

If you suffered serious injuries, consider speaking with an attorney before giving the other driver's insurance carrier a detailed recorded statement.

Our guide on what to say when an insurance company calls after a Dallas car or truck wreck explains why these early conversations can matter later.

A Dallas car accident attorney can also help determine:

• What information the insurer reasonably needs;

• Whether you should provide a recorded statement;

• What photographs and videos need to be preserved;

• Whether surveillance footage may exist;

• Whether witnesses should be interviewed;

• Whether another person or company may share responsibility;

• Whether another insurance policy applies; and

• Whether your own PIP or UM/UIM coverage may become important.

What May Texas Farm Bureau Investigate After a Wreck?

An insurance adjuster may review evidence concerning both fault and damages.

Important evidence after a Dallas collision may include:

• The police crash report;

• Statements from the drivers;

• Witness statements;

• Photographs of the vehicles;

• Crash-scene photographs;

• Dash-camera recordings;

• Nearby business surveillance;

• Traffic-camera footage;

• 911 recordings;

• Police body-camera footage;

• Vehicle damage;

• Electronic vehicle data; and

• Other evidence showing how the collision occurred.

Do not assume the insurance company's investigation will locate every piece of evidence that could help you.

Video may be overwritten. Vehicles may be repaired or sold. Witnesses may become harder to locate.

Preserving evidence independently can be particularly important when responsibility for the wreck is disputed.

What If Texas Farm Bureau Wants a Recorded Statement?

A claims adjuster may ask you to explain exactly how the collision occurred.

If Texas Farm Bureau insures the other driver, do not assume that you must immediately give a recorded statement merely because the adjuster asks for one.

A recorded statement can preserve exactly what you say during the early stages of the claim.

The problem is that you may be answering questions before:

• You have obtained the police report;

• You have reviewed available video;

• Witnesses have been interviewed;

• You understand the full extent of your injuries;

• You have undergone diagnostic imaging;

• You have seen a specialist; or

• You know whether future treatment will be necessary.

The adjuster may ask questions such as:

How fast were you driving?

When did you first see the other vehicle?

Could you have stopped sooner?

Were you distracted?

How are you feeling today?

Have you ever had neck or back problems before?

If you do not know the answer to a question about speed, distance, timing, or another fact, do not guess.

What If Texas Farm Bureau Is My Own Insurance Company?

This is different from pursuing a liability claim against someone else's policy.

A claim under your own Texas Farm Bureau policy is generally a first-party claim.

A claim against another driver's Texas Farm Bureau policy is generally a third-party claim.

The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel explains that policyholders generally have a duty to cooperate with their own insurance company's investigation.

Depending on your policy, you may be dealing with:

• Collision coverage;

• Personal Injury Protection;

• Medical Payments coverage;

• Uninsured motorist coverage;

• Underinsured motorist coverage; or

• Another first-party benefit.

Before answering detailed questions, determine which claim and which coverage the adjuster is handling.

This is especially important if both you and the driver who hit you have Texas Farm Bureau Insurance.

You could have one adjuster handling your own policy and another handling the liability claim against the other driver.

What If Texas Farm Bureau Says My Injuries Were Pre-Existing?

Prior medical conditions frequently become an issue in bodily injury claims.

Having a history of neck pain, back pain, arthritis, a prior surgery, or an earlier car accident does not automatically mean the new wreck caused no injury.

Depending on the evidence, a collision may:

• Cause a new injury;

• Aggravate an existing condition;

• Make a previously asymptomatic condition symptomatic; or

• Increase existing symptoms or limitations.

Medical documentation can become particularly important when an insurance company disputes causation.

The issue may not simply be whether you ever had pain before.

The more important question can be how your condition before the wreck compares with your condition after the wreck.

Can Texas Farm Bureau Ask for My Medical Records?

If you make an injury claim, Texas Farm Bureau may request documentation supporting your injuries and treatment.

That may include:

• Ambulance records;

• Emergency room records;

• Physician records;

• MRI or CT reports;

• Physical therapy records;

• Pain-management records;

• Surgical records;

• Medical bills; and

• Records concerning prior similar conditions.

Be cautious before signing a broad medical authorization.

Understand:

• Which providers the authorization covers;

• How far back it reaches;

• What categories of medical records it permits the insurer to obtain; and

• Whether unrelated medical information could be included.

Our guide to medical treatment, medical bills, and hospital liens after a Dallas car accident explains these issues in greater detail.

What Is a Texas Farm Bureau Car Accident Claim Worth?

There is no preset settlement amount for a Texas Farm Bureau injury claim.

The potential value depends on the individual evidence.

Factors may include:

• How the collision happened;

• Whether fault is disputed;

• Whether multiple drivers share responsibility;

• The severity of your injuries;

• Emergency medical treatment;

• MRI or CT findings;

• Physical therapy;

• Specialist treatment;

• Injections;

• Surgery;

• Future medical care;

• Medical expenses;

• Lost wages;

• Loss of earning capacity;

• Physical impairment;

• Pain and other legally recoverable damages;

• Available insurance limits; and

• Whether other responsible parties or policies exist.

The name of the insurance company does not determine what a claim is worth.

The facts and evidence do.

What If Texas Farm Bureau Makes a Settlement Offer?

Before accepting an injury settlement, make sure you understand your medical condition and what the proposed release will end.

Consider whether you know:

• Your diagnosis;

• Whether additional testing is needed;

• Whether you need a specialist;

• Whether injections are recommended;

• Whether surgery is possible;

• Whether you will continue missing work;

• Whether you may have lasting limitations;

• Your medical expenses;

• Whether liens or reimbursement claims exist; and

• How much insurance coverage is available.

The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel's third-party claim guide cautions injured claimants to read releases carefully before signing them.

Once a bodily injury claim is fully settled and released, you generally cannot simply reopen it because your injuries later become worse.

What If Texas Farm Bureau Blames Me for the Wreck?

An insurer may decide that its insured was not entirely responsible for the collision.

That does not necessarily end the claim.

The adjuster's determination is based on the information available to the company.

Additional evidence may support a different analysis.

That evidence can include:

• Dash-camera footage;

• Surveillance video;

• Witness testimony;

• Police recordings;

• Vehicle photographs;

• Scene photographs;

• Vehicle event-data information;

• Cell-phone evidence when relevant; and

• Accident reconstruction evidence in serious cases.

Texas uses proportionate-responsibility rules, so disputes over who contributed to a crash can directly affect an injury claim.

That makes independent evidence especially important.

What If the Texas Farm Bureau Driver Does Not Have Enough Insurance?

Serious injuries can exceed the responsible driver's available liability limits.

This can become especially important when a collision causes:

• Hospitalization;

• Surgery;

• Long-term medical treatment;

• Significant lost income;

• Permanent limitations; or

• Injuries to multiple people.

If the responsible driver's insurance is insufficient, your own underinsured motorist coverage may potentially become relevant.

Read our guide to Texas uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

You can also learn more from our Dallas uninsured and underinsured motorist attorney page.

The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel also explains that UM/UIM coverage may apply when the responsible driver has no insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover the damages.

What If I Have Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Too?

If you and the person who hit you both have Texas Farm Bureau, there may be several different claims arising from the same wreck.

For example:

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

• A collision claim under your policy;

• A PIP claim;

• A MedPay claim;

• An uninsured motorist claim;

• An underinsured motorist claim; or

• Another first-party claim.

Do not assume every Texas Farm Bureau adjuster is handling the same claim.

Ask:

Which policy are you handling?

Which coverage are you handling?

Are you handling my claim under my policy or the liability claim against the other driver?

Our article explaining what happens when both drivers have the same insurance company in Texas discusses this situation in more detail.

How Long Does Texas Farm Bureau Have to Handle a Texas Claim?

The answer depends in part on whether you are making a claim under your own policy or against another driver's policy.

The Texas Department of Insurance explains that Texas law imposes certain claim-handling deadlines on insurers dealing with their own policyholders.

Those prompt-payment deadlines do not apply the same way when another driver's insurance company is paying the claim.

That distinction is another reason to identify whether your Texas Farm Bureau claim is first-party or third-party.

What Should I Do After Opening a Texas Farm Bureau Claim?

If you were injured in a Dallas wreck involving Texas Farm Bureau, consider taking these steps:

1. Get the claim number. Keep it with your accident records.

2. Identify which coverage the adjuster is handling. Liability, property damage, collision, PIP, and UM/UIM are different claims.

3. Save all communications. Keep emails, letters, text messages, estimates, and claim documents.

4. Preserve photographs and video. Save vehicle pictures, scene photographs, dash-camera footage, and other evidence.

5. Seek appropriate medical care. Your health should come first.

6. Do not guess when answering questions. If you do not know something, say so.

7. Be careful with broad medical authorizations.

8. Document lost income.

9. Do not sign a final injury release without understanding it.

10. Consider speaking with a lawyer if the claim involves serious injuries or a dispute.

When Should I Contact a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer About a Texas Farm Bureau Claim?

Consider speaking with a lawyer when:

• You were transported by ambulance;

• You went to the emergency room;

• 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;

• Texas Farm Bureau disputes responsibility;

• The adjuster says you contributed to the collision;

• You are asked for a recorded statement;

• You are asked to sign a broad medical authorization;

• The insurer claims your injuries were pre-existing;

• Your claim has been denied;

• You received an injury settlement offer;

• The driver's policy limits may be inadequate;

• Multiple vehicles or injured people are involved; or

• You are being asked to sign a release.

You do not have to wait for a claim denial before speaking with an attorney.

Important evidence may become harder to obtain over time.

How The Wooley Law Firm Can Help With a Texas Farm Bureau Car Accident Claim

If you hire The Wooley Law Firm after a serious Dallas car wreck, we can handle communications with Texas Farm Bureau while you focus on medical treatment and recovery.

Depending on the case, we may:

• Investigate how the collision occurred;

• Obtain the police report;

• Search for surveillance and dash-camera footage;

• Preserve photographs and electronic evidence;

• Identify witnesses;

• Communicate with Texas Farm Bureau;

• Identify all available insurance policies;

• Review potential PIP and UM/UIM coverage;

• Gather medical records and bills;

• Document lost income;

• Evaluate liens and reimbursement claims;

• Document future medical needs;

• Prepare a settlement demand;

• Negotiate the bodily injury claim;

• Review settlement releases; and

• File a lawsuit when appropriate.

Texas Farm Bureau is one of several insurance companies Dallas-area motorists may encounter after a collision. Our guide to the most popular auto insurance companies in Dallas-Fort Worth discusses the major carriers and how insurance issues can arise after a wreck.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Farm Bureau Car Accident Claims

How do I report a claim to Texas Farm Bureau?

Texas Farm Bureau provides an online claims reporting page and a 24-hour claims reporting center.

Does the Texas Farm Bureau adjuster represent me?

If you are making a claim against another driver's policy, the adjuster is investigating a claim involving Texas Farm Bureau and its insured. The adjuster is not your attorney.

Do I have to give Texas Farm Bureau a recorded statement?

Your obligations may depend on whether Texas Farm Bureau insures you or the other driver. A first-party claim under your own policy can involve different contractual duties than a third-party liability claim against another driver's policy.

Can Texas Farm Bureau dispute fault even if the police report blames its driver?

Yes. An insurer may conduct its own investigation and consider statements, photographs, witnesses, video, vehicle damage, and other evidence.

What if I have Texas Farm Bureau and the other driver does too?

You may have multiple claims being handled under separate policies or coverages. Identify which policy and which claim each adjuster is handling.

What if the other driver's Texas Farm Bureau limits are too low?

Depending on the circumstances, your own underinsured motorist coverage, another insurance policy, or another responsible party may become relevant.

Should I accept a Texas Farm Bureau settlement offer?

Before accepting an injury settlement, make sure you understand your injuries, future treatment, lost income, available coverage, and the legal rights you are releasing.

Injured by a Texas Farm Bureau-Insured Driver? Talk to a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer

If another driver caused a Dallas wreck and Texas Farm Bureau is handling the insurance claim, consider talking with an attorney before giving a detailed recorded statement, signing a broad medical authorization, accepting an injury settlement, or signing a release.

The insurance company can begin investigating immediately.

You can have someone investigating the collision for you as well.

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

We can investigate what happened, preserve evidence, communicate with Texas Farm Bureau and other insurers, identify available insurance coverage, gather medical documentation, evaluate 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 it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Insurance coverage depends on the applicable policy and facts of the individual claim. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.