Searching for personal injury lawyers? Here are some tips for improving your chances. Once the claims process gets underway, you will likely receive a call from the at-fault party’s insurance company. They will ask you to make a recorded statement. They may even tell you that this is a normal part of the process or that it’s necessary to process your claim. You are NOT obligated to provide any statement. In fact, the insurance company can (and will) use anything you say as a reason to minimize your personal injury claim value or deny your claim outright.
Keep a diary of all of your complaints and limitations on your physical activities. This will help you remember details many months later when you are required to provide a statement or testify about how your injuries impacted your daily life. Start thinking about the witnesses you may need in the future. It may be necessary someday to have friends, neighbors or co-workers testify regarding your disability and pain and suffering.
“Personal injury” is a type of tort lawsuit in which the person suing (the “plaintiff”) has suffered physical, emotional or financial harm due to the actions of the person being sued (the “defendant”). A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal representation to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of another person, company, government agency, or other entity. Find a few extra info at Find Personal Injury Attorneys by State.
It is standard practice for insurance adjusters to begin negotiations by first offering a very low settlement amount — or, sometimes, denying liability altogether. With this tactic, the adjuster is trying to find out whether you understand what your claim is worth and to see if you are so impatient to get some money that you will take any amount. When a first offer is made, your response should depend on whether it is a reasonable offer but too low or whether it is so low that it is just a tactic to see if you know what you are doing. If the offer is reasonable, you can immediately make a counteroffer that is a little bit lower than your demand letter amount. That shows the adjuster that you, too, are being reasonable and are willing to compromise. A little more bargaining should quickly get you to a final settlement amount you both think is fair. In these negotiations, don’t bother to go over all the facts again. Just emphasize the strongest points in your favor — for example, that the insured was completely at fault.
A personal injury can bring losses both immediately and long into the future. You might not fully recover from your injuries before your case goes to trial. It’s crucial to make considerations about future recovery when negotiating a settlement amount. You can include future damages as a part of your claim. In some cases, future damages might even comprise the majority of your losses. You need to work with medical professionals to document these losses and include them in your claim.
Find the Personal Injury Lawyer Catalog. Find top personal injury attorneys and motor vehicle accident lawyers. Find top Personal Injury Lawyers that handle all serious accident matters resulting from auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, bike accidents, slip and falls, boating accidents and all other serious injury accidents. Find extra details on Accident Personal Injury Lawyers.