If you are looking to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit, it is very likely that you will be introduced to a settlement offer during the process. But not every offer is what you deserve. Once you sign an agreement, there is nothing more you can seek, so be sure to take your time on accepting a settlement. When discussing settlements, the best idea is to have an attorney that will ensure you will receive everything that you deserve. Many settlements are made and offered to avoid seeing a courtroom and possibly being ordered by a judge to payout more. Settlements are sometimes the easy way out, because once a settlement agreement is made, your personal injury case closes.
Negotiating a Personal Injury Settlement on Your Own
With or without an attorney, the value of your case remains the same. Please be sure to not accept anything lower than the true value of your case. Your settlement will be based on evidence that can be used to prove negligence of a third party, any documentation from doctors, any photographs, witness statements, as well as your own, and your overall knowledge of the value of your claim. If you are not confident enough in what you are asking for it is very likely that you will be offered a settlement that is not appropriate. Claim adjusters work with insurance companies, and their goals are to pay as little as possible, which is how they would make their money. Do not feel obligated to accept the first offer an insurance company suggests. You need to be able to effectively articulate your demands, if an agreement is not met between you and the company, you can always pursue legal action.
Attorney Negotiating Your Settlement
Attorneys consistently practice law, while it is not always necessary, it is highly recommended to hire an attorney to negotiate on your behalf. Attorneys will do a thorough investigation to ensure you ask for exactly what you deserve, and knows what demands to make. By having an attorney, it is less likely that the claim adjusters will get over on you when there is an experienced attorney is involved. The attorney will be able to assist in discovering other means of compensation for you. The job of the adjuster is to settle as soon as possible at little cost to the insurance company, and the job of your attorney is to advocate on your behalf to ensure that a fair settlement is made on your behalf. Even if you do not want to file a personal injury lawsuit, hiring an attorney, like a personal injury attorney Atlanta GA relies on, will give you the best chance of receiving what is owed to you.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
The value of your case will be based on the evidence and documentation presented to the courts.
During this time, the insurance company may still try to avoid the case being brought into court and risking bad publicity. At this point, the offer may be even higher that offers made before. At any point during a personal injury lawsuit, the insurance company may approach you with another settlement offer. Depending on the nature of the evidence and the strength of your case, this offer may be higher than previous ones. If you can wait out through the process of early settlement offers and pursue a lawsuit with an attorney, you may be able to obtain a settlement that reflects the true value of your case rather than one that offends value for convenience of the insurance company.
Be sure to discuss your options with a personal injury attorney.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into what a claim is worth and personal injury practice.
