You’re ready to negotiate a personal injury settlement, and you’ve already sent the insurance company a formal demand letter that explains your side of the case and how much in compensation you expect to receive. You’re waiting on a response – and when it comes, you see an absurdly low settlement offer.
What should you do?
Insurance adjusters often propose personal injury settlement amounts that are quite unreasonable. This is to be expected, as their job is to preserve the company’s bottom line.
If you believe the initial amount offered is too low, don’t worry – you’re under no obligation to accept this or any other settlement offer from the insurance company. Instead, consider the offer to be the starting point for negotiations.
You deserve to receive fair compensation for your injuries. When faced with a low settlement offer, take the following steps:
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
You may have been handling your own claim up until this point, but now’s the time to get an experienced personal injury attorney involved. A legal professional who specializes in this area of the law can provide you with the personalized advice and guidance you need to negotiate a good settlement.
Analyze the Settlement Offer
Before drafting a formal response to the insurance company, your attorney will help you thoroughly examine the initial offer. Doing so could shed light on the basis for the low settlement amount, which may stem from insufficient information regarding your injuries or losses. And by analyzing the offer, you’ll be better able to develop a solid response.
Formulate a Counteroffer
Your attorney will calculate all of your economic and non-economic damages. Using this information and considering other factors – such as the insurance policy limits and, if necessary, the personal assets of the at-fault party – they’ll help you decide on a fair counteroffer. Your attorney will also respond to the insurer on your behalf.
Negotiations are a standard part of the personal injury settlement process, and you may end up receiving and rejecting multiple offers as your case progresses. Your attorney will offer advice on whether or not to accept a settlement, but at the end of the day, the decision is yours.
If the insurance company ultimately refuses to put a reasonable offer on the table, your attorney may recommend that you file a lawsuit. And while there’s no guarantee that you’ll win in court, you can expect your attorney to fight to get you every dollar you deserve.
Dealing with an insurance company and negotiating a settlement is never easy on your own. Turn to William R. Rawlings & Associates, and you’ll have the expert legal representation you need to get fair financial compensation for your injuries and losses.
In Utah, Idaho and California, our personal injury attorneys have been helping injured victims for over 35 years, and we’d love to put our experience to work for you. For a free consultation to discuss personal injury settlement negotiations, contact us today.