Suffering from an injury after you have been in some kind of accident means you are likely looking to get compensated. After all, when someone else was acting negligently or recklessly it should not be your responsibility to pay for things like your hospital stay, possible surgeries, medication, and therapy. It is important to make sure the person who is responsible for your injuries is held accountable. Once you have submitted your claim, you may feel that the hardest part is over. However, what do you do when you hear back from the insurance company and they present you with an offer that seems on the low side? At this point, you should consider working with a lawyer.
What To Do With An Offer
You may think that you had little hope of winning your claim and that any settlement offer is a win for you. If you are working with a personal injury lawyer, they will likely be telling you not to accept the first offer you get. Often, insurance adjusters will come out of the gate making a low offer because there are many people out there who will not try to argue with that. They will be happy for any kind of compensation and take it. At this point, it is important to re-evaluate.
- Call your lawyer. If you have a lawyer, give them a call or set up a meeting to discuss the offer. If your lawyer thinks it is more than fair, that is a good indication that it is. If they think you should come back with a new offer, this is likely your best bet.
- Remember the accident. Before you accept the first offer, remember how traumatic the accident was and remember the pain you are going through recovering.
- Know the worth of your injuries. Your claim will have a certain worth and if you feel the settlement offer is too low or your lawyer is encouraging you to go back with a new number, consider fighting back against the insurance company.
It is important to remember that you are not legally obligated to take a settlement offer if you do not think it is the right amount. You can reject an offer and counter it with a payment you and your lawyer believe is fair to you.
If you are interested in filing a personal injury claim or if you would like help negotiating with the insurance company involved, do not hesitate any longer to get the help you need from a law firm you can trust.
