The insurance adjuster plays an important role when an injured person files for an insurance claim. After an accident, insurance adjusters will examine and analyze the case on behalf of the defendant, in order to determine how much compensation the plaintiff deserves. But should you trust that the insurance company will have your best interests in mind when making these decisions?
After an accident, an insurance adjuster will examine the facts of the case and calculate the potential damages available. They will then make a settlement offer to the plaintiff in order to release their insured from any future lawsuit. However, it is the adjuster’s goal to pay out as little as possible, meaning they will usually refrain from offering the full amounts of certain damages, or might even avoid including other damages altogether. Without the knowledge of the legal system, some people might be forced to accept the lowball offer. So how can you avoid this predicament?
How Settlement Negotiations Should Be Conducted
After sustaining injuries in an accident, you should call a personal injury lawyer right away. Do not speak about the accident with anyone from the insurance companies. Your legal advocate could get to work investigating the situation and tallying up all potential damages you might be able to recover for. This includes any costs related to medical payments, property damage, and wages that were lost while you were recovering. However, many do not know that they can also recover non-economic damages, which do not have a fixed dollar amount attached. This can include pain and suffering, scarring, loss of enjoyment of life, and psychological trauma, among others. Because these losses are highly subjective, many insurance adjusters will either skip them entirely or will put a low price on them, denying you the compensation that you deserve.
Once the full damages have been tallied, it is then time for a lawyer to discuss your findings with the insurance companies’ adjuster. When negotiations start, it is important to know the key evidence and information to defend your settlement price. The other parties will come prepared with evidence of their own. The fist offer from an adjuster is almost never accurate. It is the adjuster’s job to minimize the financial losses of their company as much as possible. Therefore, they will always offer a lower price in the hopes that the plaintiff will accept it and put an end to the threat of a lawsuit. Instead of accepting the offer, it is important to ask for evidence that backs up the adjuster’s argument.
When an injured individual has a lawyer who does not back down to the adjuster and comes prepared with evidence, their compensation usually increases. Skilled legal attorneys know what damages to look for and could pressure the insurance company to make a better settlement offer or risk a lawsuit.
Retain the Services of a Personal Injury Lawyer Before Speaking with Adjusters
You might be suffering physically and emotionally after an accident, and should not have to handle the details of a potential lawsuit by yourself. We at McCready Law want to make sure that your insurance adjuster is conducting an accurate examination and that you get the compensation that you deserve. Contact us today to find out more about your options.