Nobody wants to leave money on the table in the event that they are injured and pursuing a personal injury or workers’ compensation claim, but the fact of the matter is that it happens to people every single day. For one reason or another, they leave tens of thousands of dollars or more on the offering table because of a mistake they made along the way. In today’s blog, we’re going to explain how you can negotiate for a higher injury settlement if the insurance company presents you with an offer.
Tips For Countering And Increasing Your Settlement Award
If you have been injured and the insurance company deems that it is a valid claim, oftentimes they will present you with an initial offer. You should almost never accept an initial offer because it’s likely just a starting point for negotiations, but how can you successfully counter and increase your settlement award? Here are some tips for doing just that.
Hire A Lawyer – The best way to maximize your settlement award and to ensure that the insurance company doesn’t take advantage of your inexperience with the system is by hiring an injury lawyer. They’ll carefully review your case and put forth a strong counter that not only shows what you’re owed, but exactly why you’re owed it. Let a lawyer go to bat for you.
Accurate Math – Some numbers are a bit subjective when putting together an injury claim, while others are clear cut. A lawyer will help to review your settlement award to ensure that the insurance company isn’t underpaying you for certain aspects of your claim. Whether it be for pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages or other factors, your lawyer will crunch their own numbers to counter any math that the insurance company puts forth.
Quick And Accurate Medical Exam – It is also very important that you seek out a medical evaluation by a professional as soon as possible after the accident. If you wait to undergo an evaluation, the insurance company may argue that you suffered the injuries in a different manner, or that you’re not as injured as you claim. Make sure you seek swift medical attention so that all your injuries can be diagnosed and documented.
Moving Forward With A Lawsuit – Sometimes the insurance company will not be willing to negotiate in the beginning in hopes that they can wait you out. If we craft a fair demand letter and the insurance company rejects our offer, we’ll move forward with a lawsuit. This shows the insurance company that you mean business and may get them to come to the table. We’ll gladly move forward with a petition to the courts if we feel that the insurance company isn’t acting in good faith.
The Art Of Negotiation – You may be a good negotiator, but odds are you’ve never had to go up against an insurance company when arguing your case. We’ve done it countless times, and we know how to play the game, so to speak. We will stand firm or offer fair concessions as needed to get you the best deal possible. We know how to pitch your claim to the insurance company, a mediator or a judge, as there are different approaches to each.
When you put all these aspects together, it’s easy to see how working with our team can help to maximize your award and counter any low settlement offers that you receive from the insurance company. And remember, injury lawyers work on a contingent basis, meaning we get more money when we are able to secure a larger award for our clients, so we have a vested interest in getting you the most money possible.
For more information, or for help with your injury claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
