Recorded Statements: Tips For Workers' Compensation Adjusters

As part of the employer's and carrier's prompt investigation of a claim, NCIC Rule 608 allows the taking of a recorded statement to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the injury. Rule 608 is broad in scope. It requires the adjuster to tell the claimant the statement they are giving may be used to determine whether to pay or deny their claim. These frequently play a critical role in determining compensability of a claim or defending a denial, particularly when it seems the claimant did not experience an injury that arose “by accident” – e.g., where the claimant was doing nothing unusual at the moment of injury and performing his or her usual job tasks in the usual way.  However, the utility of the recorded statement is far reaching and can be an important barometer of the claimant's credibility.