5 Tips for Getting the Best Settlement in Your Personal Injury Case

If you have been in an accident, you probably have suffered injuries that required doctor’s visits and possible hospital stays. You also may have had to take time off work, and now you may be thinking about how you are going to pay for these expenses. Anyone who has been injured due to the negligence of another party may be able to successfully file for compensation to cover those bills. But how do you ensure you’re getting all of the money you deserve? Here are 5 tips for getting the best settlement in your personal injury case:

1. Come Up With a Specific Amount

You may have a vague idea of how much your expenses will be, but you should come up with a specific amount that your claim is worth. The best way to come up with this number is to work with an experienced personal injury attorney. They know the ins and outs of crafting a personal injury demand letter and how to calculate medical bills, emotional duress, and other factors to come up with a range of what your claim is worth. You do not want to share this number with the other party’s insurance adjuster, and your lawyer will negotiate with them until both parties agree on an acceptable compensation amount.

2. Don’t Take the First Offer

You should never take the first offer the other party’s insurance gives you in your personal injury case. Typically, these insurance companies are looking out for their overhead and give victims lowball offers. Your attorney will be able to use certain tactics to get the insurance company to come up with a reasonable amount of money that both of you agree on.

3. Emphasize Emotional Points in Your Favor

A good way to ensure you get the compensation amount you deserve is to use the emotional points you documented in your demand letter to support your claim and the amount of money you are asking for. Here are a few examples of using emotional points in your favor:

• Referring to a photo of a sustained injury or wrecked vehicle
• Mentioning that your injury interferes with every life, like taking care of a child

While placing a dollar value on these emotional aspects of your case is difficult, mentioning them can help you settle your personal injury case quickly.

4. Wait for a Response

You should wait for a response from the insurance adjuster after you send a demand letter. Don’t reduce the amount of compensation you originally asked for until they respond with their own offer. It is possible for the insurance adjuster to try to justify their low offer, and you should go through the reasoning with them. If you realize that no reasonable offer will be made, you will need to put more pressure on the insurance company for a reasonable offer.

5. Get the Settlement Offer in Writing

After you and the insurance adjuster come to an agreed-upon compensation amount, you should get it in writing immediately. This prevents the insurance company from backing out on the offer you agreed on and ensures you will receive compensation.

While you could try to get a settlement yourself, it is best practice to work with an experienced personal injury case attorney. They know everything about this type of law, and they have specialized in knowing how to deal with insurance companies when it comes to negotiating for clients. If you are interested in learning more about settlements, contact one of our personal injury lawyers today.