After being involved in an incident or accident that results in personal injury, the process of seeking compensation can be overly daunting. Whether you decided on hiring an attorney or not (which you should definitely do), it is important to have a strategy in mind once the negotiation for the settlement starts. You need to find a range in which you think your claim is worth and put an estimate for the amount you are expecting. It’s encouraging to have a minimum amount you think is reasonable in mind without sharing it with the adjuster. Once the negotiation starts, however, it is not uncommon to find yourself wondering how and when you should settle. But how do you settle for a personal injury claim?
The pointers below can guide you through the whole process.
Don’t Settle for the First Offer
Insurance companies hire adjusters to negotiate for the settlement amount. The adjuster’s job is to make the injured party settle for the lowest amount they can convince them with. Don’t jump at the first offer and settle. It’s important to discuss this with your attorney -if you have one- and consider their professional opinion. The first offer is either the lowest reasonable amount they are willing to offer, or just a technique to test the waters on whether you know enough about your case or not. Either way, you should consider the amount and compare it to the range you had in mind to decide whether or not you are going to take it.
Decide When to Hire an Attorney
At some point, you might feel that the negotiations are not going your way. This is when you need to consider hiring an attorney. Some attorneys like those at https://patinolawoffice.com/esp/ will not charge you unless they win your case. If the compensation you are hoping for is worth more than thousands of dollars, the adjuster is unlikely to offer a reasonable amount for the damage and the pain you are in. This is when you should consult an attorney to help you with your case.
Never Reduce Your Demand Twice in a Row
If the insurance company’s adjuster offered you a low amount, let them go through the reasons behind their offer. Once you are done with your argument, you need to present your demand. If the responsible party rejects and you are faced with the inevitable decision to reduce your demand, never reduce twice. Wait for their response, argue, and repeat until you reach an offer that you are comfortable with. If you didn’t hear from the adjuster, don’t reduce your demand until you get a response.
When you first plan your strategy for the settlement, there are some mistakes that you need to steer away from in order to get the amount of money you deserve. While some cases such as road traffic accidents can be pretty easy and straightforward to win, some other personal injury cases are hard and take long to tackle. The medical evidence and all the medical bill copies should be with you to have a strong argument. Financial loss records should be present as well to strengthen your case. Sometimes, admitting the psychological damage can be embarrassing and overwhelming. However, it’s essential to open up to your attorney about every aspect of your case.
