Short Answer

Yes. If you are represented after a Durham car accident, your lawyer can usually contact the insurance company, send a letter of representation, and help open or manage the claim. The insurer may reasonably ask for basic claim information, such as the police report, date of loss, parties involved, and policy number. The main caveat is that insurance communications do not automatically extend North Carolina lawsuit deadlines or resolve disputed fault.

What It Means for a Lawyer to Contact the Insurance Company

After a car accident, an insurance company needs enough information to identify the policy, assign the claim, and decide which adjuster will handle it. If you have hired a law firm, the firm can usually make that first contact for you instead of having you handle every call yourself.

In a typical North Carolina personal injury claim, the lawyer or law firm may send a letter of representation. That letter tells the insurance company that the firm represents you for claims arising from the crash. It often includes basic information such as your name, the date of the accident, the other driver’s name if known, the location of the crash, and any available insurance or police report information.

Once the insurer receives the letter of representation, claim communications about the injury claim are commonly routed through the attorney’s office. That can help reduce confusion, keep a written record of communications, and limit the risk of giving incomplete or unclear information before the facts are organized.

Why the Insurance Company Asked for a Letter of Representation and Police Report

The request described in your facts is common. The insurance company is likely trying to confirm three basic things:

• Who represents you: The letter of representation confirms that the law firm has authority to communicate about your claim.
• Which crash is involved: The police report helps identify the date, location, drivers, vehicles, and sometimes the investigating officer’s notes or diagram.
• Which policy or claim file applies: If the insurer does not yet have a claim number, it may ask the firm to use the policy number as the temporary claim reference.

Using the policy number as the reference does not usually mean the claim is fully accepted or denied. It may simply be how the insurance company locates the correct policy until a claim number is created.

North Carolina law addresses crash reporting in certain accidents. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166.1 explains when reportable accidents must be investigated and documented, and those reports often become an important early claim document. A police report can be helpful, but it does not always settle every issue of fault, injury, or insurance coverage.

What Your Lawyer May Do When Opening the Auto Insurance Claim

Opening a claim is usually only the first step. In many car accident cases, the claim process involves several overlapping tasks: identifying available insurance, investigating fault, documenting injuries and losses, and later discussing settlement or litigation if appropriate.

Depending on the facts, your lawyer may:

• Send a letter of representation to the at-fault driver’s insurer or another relevant insurer.
• Provide the police report, policy number, date of loss, and other identifying details needed to open the file.
• Ask the insurer to confirm the claim number, adjuster name, mailing address, email address, and available coverage information when appropriate.
• Request that future communications about the injury claim go through the law firm.
• Ask the insurer to explain any denial, delay, or disputed liability position in writing.
• Send preservation requests when evidence should be protected, such as vehicle photographs, dash camera footage, event data, repair records, or recorded statements.
• Collect medical bills, medical records, wage information, and out-of-pocket expense documentation before presenting an injury demand.

These steps do not guarantee that the insurer will accept responsibility. They help create an organized claim record so the disputed issues can be addressed with documents instead of guesswork.

Why Direct Insurance Calls Can Be Risky After a Durham Car Accident

You are allowed to talk with an insurer on your own, but once you are represented, it often makes sense to coordinate through your lawyer. Insurance adjusters may ask for a recorded statement, a broad medical authorization, details about injuries, or your version of how the crash happened. Those requests can matter later.

Fault is especially important in North Carolina. The state recognizes contributory negligence as a defense in personal injury cases. In plain English, if the defense proves that the injured person’s own negligence helped cause the crash, that can create serious problems for the injury claim. The party raising that defense generally has the burden of proof under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-139.

That does not mean every disputed statement ruins a claim. It does mean that what is said early in the claim should be accurate, complete, and consistent with the available evidence. Your lawyer may want to review the police report, photographs, witness information, and medical documentation before detailed claim discussions take place.

Documents and Information to Gather for Your Lawyer

If your law firm is trying to open the insurance claim, you can help by gathering the documents that make the file easier to identify and evaluate. Useful items often include:

• The police report or report number.
• The other driver’s name, insurance company, policy number, and contact information if available.
• Photographs or videos of the vehicles, scene, traffic signals, road conditions, and visible injuries.
• Names and contact information for witnesses.
• Medical visit summaries, bills, prescriptions, and discharge paperwork.
• Health insurance, auto insurance, and any claim letters you have received.
• Repair estimates, towing bills, rental car records, and property damage communications.
• Proof of missed work or reduced income if your injuries affected your job.
• Any emails, texts, letters, or voicemail notes from insurance adjusters.

Keep copies of everything. If you are unsure whether something matters, save it and let your attorney decide whether it should be used.

Deadlines Still Matter Even if the Insurer Is Talking to Your Lawyer

Insurance claim discussions are not the same thing as filing a lawsuit. In many North Carolina personal injury cases, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 provides a three-year deadline for certain personal injury and property damage claims. Different deadlines may apply in some situations, so timing should be reviewed carefully.

The important point is simple: an open claim file, friendly adjuster communications, or ongoing settlement talks do not automatically extend the time to file a lawsuit. If a deadline is approaching, your lawyer may need to evaluate whether court action is necessary to protect the claim.

How This Applies to the Situation Described

Based on the facts provided, the law firm appears to be taking a normal early step: contacting the relevant auto insurance company and trying to open the claim. The insurer’s request for a letter of representation and police report is also common. If there is not yet a claim number, using the policy number as the reference can help the insurer locate the file while the claim is being set up.

The next practical step is usually to make sure the firm has the police report, the policy number, the date of the crash, the names of the drivers, and any communications already received from the insurer. Once the claim is opened, the firm can usually confirm the assigned adjuster and begin organizing the liability, injury, and damages documentation.

If the insurance company disputes fault, delays coverage review, asks for a recorded statement, or sends paperwork you do not understand, those issues should be discussed with your lawyer before you respond on your own.

When Wallace Pierce Law May Be Able to Help

Wallace Pierce Law may be able to help with this type of Durham car accident issue by contacting the insurance company, sending a letter of representation, identifying the correct claim reference, and organizing the documents needed to move the claim forward.

The firm may also help review the police report, preserve important evidence, communicate with adjusters, track claim deadlines, and gather medical bills, records, wage information, and other proof of losses. If the insurer disputes fault or raises concerns about contributory negligence, the firm can help evaluate what evidence may address those issues.

No law firm can promise that an insurance company will accept liability, offer settlement, or resolve a claim by a certain date. The value of legal help is often in making sure the claim is presented clearly, deadlines are not ignored, and important communications are handled with care.

Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney in Durham

If your question involves injuries, insurance, fault, medical documentation, settlement paperwork, or a possible deadline, speaking with a licensed North Carolina attorney can help clarify your options. Call 919-313-2737 to discuss what happened and what steps may make sense next.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about North Carolina personal injury law based on the single question stated above. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is not medical advice, tax advice, or insurance policy interpretation. Laws, procedures, and local practice can change and may vary by county. If there may be a deadline, act promptly and speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney.