When you have been involved in a serious accident, it is crucial to not only understand your rights, but to exercise caution when you talk with anyone. You should be able to work with a professional attorney to move forward with getting the settlement you need to heal and recover, although many people don't see it that way.
Choosing a new attorney could be the difference between getting a great settlement and watching possibilities slip out of your fingers. On this blog, learn more about what it means to work with a new lawyer, and how they could help you to start on the road to recovery.
Auto Accident Law: How To Negotiate With The Insurance Company
Following a car wreck, it can be pretty tricky and overwhelming to talk to the insurance company and attempt to recover compensation for the injuries that you sustained, especially if you have never been through a similar process before. The adjusters who work for insurance companies are very talented in discovering ways to ensure the payouts are kept to a minimum when it comes to personal injury and property damage claims. However, when it comes time to negotiate with the adjuster and consider a settlement, here are a few tips that may help increase your chances of a successful experience.
Know What You Want Before You Talk to Them
If you take the time to add up all of your bills, medical records, estimates, missed work documentation, and receipts, you should have a pretty rough estimate of what your claim should be worth. You are entitled to both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those related to your lost wages and medical expenses, while non-economic damages are those related to your pain and suffering. Make sure that you start high and ask for more than you what you are seeking, and make sure that you have a dollar figure for the lower amount that you are willing to accept from the insurance company.
Allow the Insurance Adjuster to Speak First
When it comes to negotiating after a car wreck, your adversary is the insurance adjuster. If you allow him or her to speak first and give you the first number, then you will find yourself in a stronger position. If the adjuster asks for you to go first, try to avoid doing so. Simply be courteous, but you should inform them that it is their job to perform evaluations of claims and ask what they believe that your claim is worth.
Remember the Policy Limits
When you are trying to figure out what you should, remember the policy limits. There are coverage limits that the insurer has to make sure that they do not exceed. In your demand letter, make sure to request this information, and be persistent about it. If they tell you that there is insufficient coverage, insist that the adjuster inform you of the precise amount because it can have a direct impact on the amount that you end up requesting.
While the above tactics can be effective in a number of situations following an accident, they may not be 100 percent of the time. Therefore, if you do not find yourself having success, contact a personal injury attorney for professional assistance at seeking the compensation that you deserve.