Short Answer

Usually, the injured person, that person’s attorney, the at-fault driver, or an insurance representative can report the accident and open a claim with the other driver’s insurer. North Carolina law requires drivers to stop and exchange certain information after many crashes, but it does not guarantee that the other driver’s insurance claim is already open. A medical provider may ask for the adjuster and claim number, but the provider is usually not responsible for creating the liability claim for you.

What It Means to “Open a Claim” With the Other Driver’s Insurance

Opening a claim means the insurance company creates a file for the crash, assigns a claim number, and often assigns an adjuster. That adjuster may investigate fault, review vehicle damage, request records, and communicate about injury-related losses.

A claim number is useful, but it is only an administrative tracking number. It does not mean the insurer accepts fault. It does not mean coverage has been confirmed. It also does not mean your medical bills will be paid as they come due.

In a Durham car accident claim, the other driver may report the crash to their insurer, but sometimes they do not. Their insurance agent may receive notice, but the bodily injury claim may not be set up yet. Your own insurer may also report the crash to the other company if it has the other driver’s policy information. If you hire a personal injury attorney, the attorney may contact the insurer and provide notice of representation.

Who Can Start the Claim?

Several people or companies may be able to start the claim, depending on what information is available:

• The other driver. The other driver may call their insurance company and report the crash.
• You. You may contact the other driver’s insurance company if you have the company name, policy number, driver information, and crash details.
• Your attorney. If you are represented, your attorney may open the claim, request adjuster information, and direct future communications through the law office.
• Your own insurance company. If you reported the crash to your insurer, it may communicate with the other insurer, especially if vehicle damage, medical payments coverage, or uninsured or underinsured motorist issues are involved.
• An insurance agent or claims intake department. Sometimes the first call goes to an agent or general claims line, and the file is later assigned to a specific adjuster.

Your chiropractor or other medical provider may ask for the other driver’s claim number because it helps the provider track billing, liens, records requests, and communications. But the provider normally does not have enough crash information or legal authority to manage your injury claim for you.

North Carolina Rules That Help You Find the Insurance Information

After certain crashes, North Carolina drivers have duties at the scene. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166, drivers involved in covered crashes must stop and provide identifying vehicle and driver information, and in injury crashes they must provide reasonable assistance when required. This law helps explain why the other driver’s name, plate number, and driver information matter.

For reportable crashes, law enforcement reporting can also help identify insurance information. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166.1 addresses crash reporting and law enforcement accident reports, including certain information about financial responsibility for the vehicle identified by the officer. A police report is not the same as an insurance claim, but it can be a key document when contacting the insurer.

If the crash report is not ready yet, you may still be able to open a claim with the other insurer using the driver’s name, vehicle information, date and location of the crash, and any policy information exchanged at the scene.

What to Gather Before Calling the Other Insurance Company

If no claim has been opened yet, gather the information you can before making the first report. Having organized information may reduce confusion and make it easier to get a claim number.

• The other driver’s name, phone number, address, and driver’s license information, if available.
• The other vehicle’s license plate number, make, model, and color.
• The other driver’s insurance company name and policy number, if exchanged.
• The crash date, time, and location.
• The law enforcement agency that responded and any report number.
• Photos of the vehicles, scene, license plates, and visible damage.
• Names and contact information for witnesses.
• Your medical provider names, visit dates, bills, and records as they become available.
• Any letters, emails, texts, or voicemails from insurers.

When you report the claim, you can usually keep the first call basic: identify the crash, provide the insured driver’s information, and ask whether a claim number and adjuster have been assigned. Be careful about giving detailed recorded statements, opinions about fault, or broad medical authorizations before you understand how the information may be used.

Why Fault Still Matters After the Claim Is Opened

Opening the claim is only the beginning. The insurer may still investigate who caused the crash, whether its policy applies, the extent of injuries, and whether the medical treatment is related to the collision.

North Carolina fault rules can be strict. In many injury cases, an insurer may raise contributory negligence if it believes the injured person’s own conduct helped cause the crash. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-139, the party asserting contributory negligence generally has the burden of proving it. Still, this defense can create serious problems for a claim, so evidence should address both what the other driver did wrong and why you acted reasonably.

This is one reason the first insurance communications matter. A short, accurate report that opens the claim is different from a detailed statement about speed, lookout, pain levels, prior conditions, or how the crash happened. If you are unsure, it may be wise to get legal guidance before giving detailed statements.

How This Applies When a Chiropractor Is Asking for the Claim Number

In the facts above, the injured person is receiving chiropractic treatment, and the provider is asking for the other driver’s insurance claim details. If the other driver’s insurer has not opened a claim yet, there may not be an adjuster name or claim number to give.

A practical response is to tell the provider that the third-party claim has not yet been opened and that you are working to obtain the information. Then, gather the crash report, the other driver’s insurance card information if you have it, and any correspondence from insurers. Once the claim is opened, ask the insurer for the claim number, adjuster name, phone number, mailing address, fax number, and email or upload instructions.

You may also want to ask the provider, in plain terms, what they need the claim number for. Some providers want it for billing notes. Others want to send records later. Some may be asking because they expect payment from a settlement rather than immediate payment from health insurance. Those are important financial and documentation issues, and you should keep copies of anything you sign.

Do Not Confuse an Insurance Claim With a Lawsuit Deadline

Opening a claim is not the same as filing a lawsuit. Also, talking with an adjuster does not automatically extend the time to file a lawsuit if settlement does not happen.

For many North Carolina personal injury and vehicle damage claims, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 provides a three-year deadline for many injury or property-damage lawsuits. Different facts can change the deadline, so do not rely on ongoing insurance discussions as protection against a filing deadline.

Practical Next Steps

1. Get the crash report or report number. This may help confirm the other driver’s insurer and vehicle information.
2. Contact the other insurer’s claims department. Ask whether a claim exists. If not, provide basic crash-identifying information and request a claim number.
3. Write down every contact. Save the date, time, phone number, person you spoke with, and what was said.
4. Give your provider accurate updates. If no claim number exists yet, say so. Do not guess.
5. Preserve medical and billing records. Keep visit summaries, bills, receipts, work notes, and provider communications.
6. Be cautious with detailed statements. If fault, injuries, prior medical history, or coverage is disputed, consider speaking with a North Carolina personal injury attorney first.

When Wallace Pierce Law May Be Able to Help

Wallace Pierce Law may be able to help when the other driver’s insurance claim has not been opened, the medical provider needs claim information, or the insurer is asking for statements and records before you understand the process.

For this type of Durham motor vehicle accident issue, the firm may assist by identifying available insurance information, contacting the proper claims department, organizing medical bills and records, tracking adjuster communications, and helping you understand how North Carolina fault rules and deadlines may affect the claim. This does not guarantee that the insurer will accept liability, pay bills immediately, or make a settlement offer.

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.