You will naturally want to seek compensation from the guilty party after you’ve been hurt or sustained property damage in a personal injury accident. The first thing you should do is hire a personal injury lawyer in Hayward. This person will draft a demand letter on your behalf which will become the foundation of your claim.
The insurance company will probably respond with what you think is a ridiculously low offer to your demand letter. It will probably be much lower than the amount asked for in your demand letter.
Be Reasonable
Whatever you do, don’t jump at the first offer from the insurance company. Remember that once you accept an offer, the claim is closed and you can’t seek more money from the insurance company, even if you need and deserve it!
Reply in Writing
Writing makes things official and stands up either in a court or out of a court. You want to sit down with your lawyer and refute the first offer. State your reasons why and make sure that they’re reasonable and can be backed up by evidence. Make sure to ask the insurance company lots of questions to justify the initial low offer. The responses to these questions will provide you with valuable information that you can use in your counteroffers.
Document All Communication with the Insurance Adjuster
You’ll have an easier time holding the defendant’s insurance company accountable if you document all communication with the insurance adjuster. Make sure to include the adjuster’s name, contact information, the name of the insurer, and the name of the client that the insurer represents.
Jot down the time and date you spoke with the adjuster for each conversation you document. Also, write the nature of the conversions you held down. Your documentation can come in handy if you ever settle either in or out of court.
Getting the Compensation, You Deserve
Make sure that you get the settlement you deserve. That means you should only seek compensation after you have completed the full course of medical recovery and followed all of the advice mentioned above.
Any information you provide to the adjuster becomes part of your official record with the insurance company. It can and will probably be used against you at a later date. That’s why you want to make sure you contact a lawyer beforehand to know what you should and should not be telling the adjuster.
Formulate a Good Counteroffer
You want to lower your initial demand, but come up with a counteroffer that’s still substantially higher than what the insurer offered initially.
Be at a State of Maximum Medical Improvement Before Accepting a Settlement
That way, you will know that you won’t need money for future and unanticipated expenses. Remember that its case closed once you sign the release form and accept the settlement.
