Negotiating After a Personal Injury Accident
Personal Injury Lawyer
Before negotiating with an insurance company after a recent accident, there is some insight victims must know. Firstly, avoid accepting the first settlement offer, as this is likely to be an amount that is too low compared to what the claim is actually worth. Insurance companies often know what would be fair to compensate a victim with, but may still try to save as much money as possible. Unless the victim realizes that they deserve more, they may accept a settlement offer that doesn’t even cover the full extent of their injuries and losses.
Before knowing how much to negotiate, victims should calculate the total of what they believe is reasonably fair based on what they’ve been through. Factors to consider include:
- Cost of necessary medical treatment
- Financial loss due to being unable to work
- Pain and suffering
- Cost to repair or replace property damage
In the days after an accident, victims are likely to hear from an insurance adjuster. This person is someone that doesn’t have the claimant’s best of interest in mind. In fact, it is the adjuster’s job to use the victim’s words against them in hopes of reducing or denying a claim altogether. Those who want assistance negotiating with an insurance company may turn to a personal injury lawyer for guidance.
As a personal injury lawyer from The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt knows, victims of personal injury accidents may not realize they are entitled to significant compensation for all they have suffered. Anyone who’s been in an accident is encouraged to get medical attention right away and keep track of expenses and damages so they can fight for a fair settlement.