During personal injury settlement negotiations, things get heated up really fast. It is important that you have a strategy in place to make the most of the situation you are in. Fortunately, there are many great things you can do that will increase your settlement amount. The tips below are recommended by a highly respected Manhattan personal injury lawyer and you should take Injury Settlement Amount into account.
Have A Injury Settlement Amount In Place Before You Negotiate
Even before you write your settlement demand letter, it is very important to know how much your claim should be worth. You have to basically think about a minimum figure that you would be willing to accept. This amount should cover all your expenses and at the very least they should cover your medical expenses.
While it is possible that you will have to lower the settlement amount you initially thought about, the exact opposite is also possible since you might find some good evidence in the future. But if you have an amount in mind first, it is easier to then negotiate.
Be Careful With The First Offer
Insurance adjusters almost always start their negotiations with a lower amount than what they are willing to offer. This is a tactic used by the insurance adjuster as they try to figure out if you do understand the worth of your claim, together with your patience.
You will receive a first offer and you have to respond based on what you think is reasonable. When it is obvious the amount is simply too low, it is just a tactic and you need to be strong with a counteroffer that clearly highlights you know what your claim is worth.
Force Adjusters To Justify Low Offers
When you see that the insurance adjuster’s offer is very low, you can ask for clarification. This is particularly useful when it is obvious you are just looking at a negotiating tactic. Do not lower your amount simply because of the very low counteroffer. Write a letter in which you respond to the factors mentioned by the adjuster and ask for clarification. While you can slightly lower the demand if the reasons of the adjuster are very strong, it is good to first see if the adjuster budges.
Don’t Forget To Emphasize Emotional Points
As you negotiate the claim, make sure to mention all emotional points that support it. For instance, when you have a strong photograph of an injury that looks really severe, you have to refer to it. When you see that there was a beer bottle at the site of the accident, you can discuss potential alcohol use. Adjusters are not stupid and they already know these things. But, when you highlight them, you just show you mean business.
Be Patient
One of the biggest mistakes you could make is to reduce the demand more than one time before the adjuster responds. This is simply a very bad bargaining strategy that will eventually end up hurting your claim much more than it should.
When the adjuster has reasons for low offers, analyze every single one. If you are not happy, you can always go to trial.
