When you have been in an accident or have sustained an injury from a trip and fall, you will want to be reimbursed for your losses. You will be eligible to recover compensation money when someone is at fault or liable for your injury. If you have been in an accident where someone else is at fault, you need to close that claim with that individual or company. This is best done with a knowledgeable injury and accident attorney on your side. The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm will go through the process to help you understand the stages and what happens during a settlement for a personal injury claim.
Offers are Negotiated
If you have been the victim of an accident where you sustained personal injuries, you need time to heal from your injuries. You need to take stock of what kind of monetary compensation package you need to receive to heal from your injuries. You are meant to be put into the place that you were in a day before the loss occurred. You are not meant to get a windfall of money ahead of what you need, nor are you meant to make a “sweet little profit” on a compensation package.
Some people think of a compensation package as a bit of “free money” that you get after an accident. The thinking is understandable, but it is wrong. If everyone got a profit from the reimbursement for an accident, there would be little to no incentive for someone at fault for your loss to reimburse you for those losses. It would also create a highly litigious society, where people were getting injured or pretending to be injured to profit from it.
Of course, the money you get may pay for your past expenses related to the accident and have some money left over. That is fine if that does occur. You are meant to be reimbursed for your losses, and in some ways, after suffering trauma from an accident, no amount of money can repay you for that loss.
Offers are Never “Final” Until One Party Gives In
If you are “dealing” with an insurance company with a personal injury that you might have, it is normal that you would get frustrated. Although the insurance company is not out to cheat you per se, they do want to expedite and close out the case as soon as they can. It is nothing personal to you at all. The claims adjuster is just overworked, underpaid, and tired of all of their cases, and wishes they were all settled yesterday. For this reason, a claims adjuster gets it half right.
The claims adjuster will investigate the case, set a reserve to settle the case on their end, and talk to you about paying for the expenses you submit to them related to the accident. They fall short because they will offer you an amount for a settlement and expect you to take it. It may be an offer that is slightly over, under, or exactly what you expected. But it is not the final offer.
You can always talk to them about their offer, especially their first one. They are not in your shoes and don’t know how you have suffered. You can talk to them about the offer and tell them in no uncertain terms that it is not the last settlement offer until you accept it.
Offers and Counter Offers
It is important to remember that there are two parties to a claim for personal injuries. There is the claims adjuster and yourself involved in this dance. You have the opportunity to tell the claims adjuster what you want for a recovery compensation settlement package. You have a vote in this election, and you get a final say. The claims adjuster will send you the reimbursement package, and you get to vote on it. Your response can only be one of two answers: Yes, or No.
Suppose you decide that it is enough money for you to comfortably pay back all of your medical expenses, cover your unknown expenses for the future, pay for your pain and suffering, and cover anything else that you might have missed. In that case, you can say yes to the final settlement. However, if you realize that you might be wrong and that the money offered may not be enough, you need to decline this offer.
Why You Need an Attorney During Negotiations
Of course, when you talk to an attorney before negotiations with an insurance company, you have a greater chance of getting back the full amount of money that you deserve. Once you settle your claim on your own with an insurance company, there is no going back to ask for more money. You need to give us a call when you first have an injury, loss, or damage from an accident. That is when we will be able to put you at the best advantage for getting you the money that you deserve in all cases.
Heal During Negotiations
It is also important that you work with an experienced attorney for another reason. You need to take all of the time you need to heal from your accident. Your personal injuries need your attention, as you make the best decisions to heal properly to continue your everyday activities later on. We can work with you and ensure that you will get back all of the money you need to heal, manage your medical bills, and be reimbursed for all of your out-of-pocket medical expenses. Healing is an important step to recovery, and we understand the sensitive nature of your claim. We are ready to work with you any time that you call us. We are here to answer any questions that you have regarding your case.
Think of the Bigger Picture
In determining how long it will take to receive an offer of compensation, the final offer and settlement timeline will depend on a few factors. If you are handling it on your own, it will depend on your rapport with the insurance company. If you have an insurance company claims representative who can get back to you promptly, then you may have a few weeks to months before your final adjustment check is sent to you.
But hold on, just because you are sent a final check quickly does not mean you are getting back all that you deserve in this case! Remember, the insurance company wants to settle the case to close their books. It is nothing personal to you, but they like to underbid the case of a claim to save a few bucks on their end. They are not picking on you or being “unfair,” but they will undersell an offer to you.
Alternatively, if you work with us, we can get you to the final settlement in around the same amount of time or sooner. We have excellent relationships with insurance companies. We have experienced attorneys who understand what to do to get you the full amount of a settlement that you deserve.
If you have been the victim of a personal injury after an accident, give us a call. We will work hard to get you the compensation that you deserve in every case. Our injury and accident attorneys can help you get the offer of settlement that you desire in all cases. Call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm at (470) 323-8779. We look forward to hearing from you today.
