Personal Injury Settlements
While during a personal injury claim, don’t make up your mind to accept any offer that comes your way. There are certain considerations that should be made when the insurance adjuster comes up with your compensation amount, and it should be fair to both you and the insurance company. If you are offered a settlement by an insurance company, stop for a moment and do the following.
Hold Off on the First Offer
In many personal injury cases, the insurance company will lowball the offer in hopes you’ll jump at it and accept it. Don’t do this. Hold off on the first offer until you understand exactly what your claim is worth. You should speak with a lawyer for help in making this determination. If the first offer is in fact reasonable, you could accept it. If it’s unreasonable, there may be some negotiating you can do.
Ask for Justifications
Just because an offer is low, doesn’t always mean it’s unreasonable. There may be some solid reasons why the insurance company offered you a lower settlement than you feel you deserve. Ask the insurance company to provide you with written justifications for the offer. Is there something you don’t know about the claim? Did the insurance adjuster take something out of context? Is the insurance company missing a piece of information? Knowing exactly what led to the offer will be your best chance at negotiating a higher amount.
Point Out the Emotional Aspects of Your Situation
When you can present emotional facts of the situation, it might lead to a higher amount of compensation. For example, if you were in a car accident, and there was a bottle of beer in the other driver’s car, you may present a photo of that beer bottle. If you have children and are unable to care for them because of your injuries, that’s another emotional point to bring up. It may not make the amount skyrocket, but it’s possible you’ll be offered a little more to compensate for those emotional aspects.
Involve an Attorney
If you are unsure about an offer made by the insurance company, you may want to involve a lawyer. It’s possible the only way you’ll be able to get a higher amount is by having a lawyer who can fight your case with experience. If the insurance company refuses to budge, the lawyer can help you understand where to turn next.
Contact a lawyer, today to learn more. With a personal injury lawyer by your side, your chances of a higher settlement might also be higher.