Short Answer

Yes. After you hire a personal injury attorney, your attorney can usually notify the insurance company and ask that claim communications go through the attorney’s office. The main caveat is that you may still have duties under your own insurance policy, and North Carolina lawsuit deadlines do not pause just because an insurer is talking with your lawyer.

What Changes After You Hire an Attorney?

In a Durham personal injury claim, one of the first practical changes after hiring an attorney is communication control. Your attorney can send the insurance company a representation letter that identifies the claim, gives contact information for the law firm, and asks the adjuster to direct future claim communications to the attorney.

This does not mean you lose control of your case. It means your attorney can help manage the flow of information, reduce confusing adjuster calls, and make sure important claim details are documented before they are presented to the insurance company.

For many injured people, this is helpful because early insurance conversations can involve fault questions, recorded statement requests, medical authorization forms, property damage issues, or settlement discussions before the full injury picture is known.

What Your Attorney May Communicate to the Insurance Company

Once hired, your attorney may communicate with the insurer about issues such as:

• Confirming that you are represented in the injury claim.
• Identifying the claim number, adjuster, insured person, and available insurance information.
• Requesting that the adjuster stop contacting you directly about the bodily injury claim.
• Providing updates about your treatment status when appropriate.
• Submitting medical records, medical bills, wage information, and other claim documents.
• Responding to questions about liability, damages, or missing documentation.
• Discussing settlement only when the claim is ready for that step and you have authorized the communication.

Good communication with an adjuster is not just about sending paperwork. A careful attorney will usually want to verify facts before passing them along. For example, if you are still receiving chiropractic treatment after emergency care and a primary care follow-up, it may be too early to give the insurer a final description of your injuries, expenses, or long-term outcome. Medical records and bills often need to be collected and reviewed before a demand package or detailed damages summary is sent.

If you want to understand how records are typically used in this process, Wallace Pierce Law has additional information on how medical bills and medical records are used in settlement discussions.

Can the Insurance Company Still Contact You?

After the insurer receives notice that you are represented, the adjuster for the injury claim should generally communicate with your attorney about that claim. Still, direct contact can happen. Sometimes an adjuster has not processed the representation letter. Sometimes a different department is handling property damage, rental reimbursement, medical payments coverage, or another issue. Sometimes the contact is from your own insurer rather than the other driver’s insurer.

If an adjuster contacts you after you have hired an attorney, a safe practical response is to politely state that you are represented and ask the adjuster to contact your attorney. Then let your attorney know about the call, letter, email, or text message.

Do not assume every contact is harmless. Questions about how the crash happened, what you were doing, your symptoms, your past medical history, or whether you are ready to settle can affect the claim. If you receive forms, releases, checks, or settlement paperwork, send them to your attorney before signing anything.

Your Own Insurance Company May Be Different

There is an important difference between the at-fault party’s insurer and your own insurer. If the claim involves your own policy, you may have policy duties such as giving notice, cooperating with reasonable requests, or providing information needed to evaluate a coverage issue. Your attorney can often help coordinate those communications, but hiring an attorney does not automatically remove all policy obligations.

This is especially important when a claim may involve medical payments coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, underinsured motorist coverage, or property damage benefits. The policy language, the facts, and North Carolina law all matter. Your attorney can help you avoid giving incomplete or unclear information while still addressing legitimate claim requests.

Why Ongoing Medical Treatment Matters

In the facts described, the injured person received emergency care, followed up with a primary care provider, and is still receiving chiropractic treatment. That matters because the claim may not be ready for final evaluation if treatment is still ongoing.

An attorney may tell the adjuster that treatment is continuing without making unsupported claims about the final diagnosis, total medical expenses, or future needs. This can help prevent problems later. If a statement to the insurer turns out to be inaccurate or incomplete, the adjuster may use it to question the claim.

Helpful documentation often includes:

• Emergency room records and discharge paperwork.
• Primary care visit notes and referrals.
• Chiropractic records, visit summaries, and billing statements.
• Prescription receipts or other out-of-pocket expense records.
• Photos of vehicle damage, visible injuries, or the scene, if available.
• Employer records if time missed from work is part of the claim.
• All letters, emails, and texts from the insurance company.

If ambulance or hospital records are involved, you may also find it helpful to read about how those records may be submitted to an insurance adjuster.

North Carolina Deadlines Still Matter

Insurance communication is 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 time limit for many injury claims. The exact deadline can depend on the type of claim and the facts.

The key point is simple: talking with an insurance adjuster, sending records, or negotiating a settlement does not automatically extend the time to file a lawsuit. If a deadline is approaching, your attorney may need to evaluate whether legal action is necessary to protect the claim.

Medical Bills, Records, and Possible Liens

When an attorney communicates with the insurance company, medical records and bills are often central to the discussion. They help show what treatment was received, when it happened, what it cost, and how the injury affected daily life and work.

North Carolina law also has rules that can affect how certain medical providers are paid from settlement funds. For example, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44-49 and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44-50 address certain medical provider lien issues tied to injury recoveries. In plain English, some providers may claim a right to be paid from settlement funds if statutory requirements are met.

This is one reason attorney-insurer communication is only part of the process. A personal injury claim may also involve collecting records, reviewing bills for injury-related treatment, identifying possible repayment claims, and making sure settlement paperwork matches the client’s decision.

How This Applies to the Situation Described

If you are represented in a North Carolina personal injury claim involving an insurer, your attorney can usually become the main point of contact for the bodily injury claim. Because treatment is still ongoing, the attorney may choose to provide limited status updates rather than a final settlement demand.

That approach can make sense when the full medical picture is not complete. Emergency care, primary care follow-up, and chiropractic treatment may all be relevant, but the records should be gathered and reviewed before the insurer receives a final summary. If the adjuster asks you for a recorded statement, medical authorization, or settlement discussion, tell your attorney before responding.

Practical Steps After You Hire an Attorney

1. Forward all insurer communications. Send your attorney copies of letters, emails, texts, voicemails, and forms from any insurance company.
2. Save medical paperwork. Keep records, bills, visit summaries, and receipts related to your emergency care, primary care, chiropractic treatment, and other injury-related expenses.
3. Avoid signing broad releases without review. Medical authorizations and settlement releases can have important consequences.
4. Keep your attorney updated. Share new treatment dates, work restrictions, missed work, and changes in symptoms as accurately as possible.
5. Ask before speaking with an adjuster. If you are unsure whether a call is about your injury claim, property damage, or your own coverage, check with your attorney.

When Wallace Pierce Law May Be Able to Help

Wallace Pierce Law may be able to help by notifying the insurance company of representation, organizing claim communications, gathering medical records and bills, and tracking what information has been sent to the adjuster. The firm can also help evaluate whether the claim is ready for negotiation or whether more documentation is needed.

In a Durham injury claim, this can include reviewing emergency care records, primary care notes, chiropractic billing, wage information, insurance letters, and possible medical provider payment claims. The goal is to help you understand the process and make informed decisions without having to manage every adjuster communication on your own.

If the insurer has already contacted you about settlement timing, you may also find this related article useful: when the insurance company may be contacted to start settlement negotiations.

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.