When it comes to personal injury claims, there are certain insurance companies who are known to be especially stingy and reticent about approving substantial settlement offers. If the party who caused your slip and fall accident is a policyholder with such a company, you will benefit from the help of an experienced First Coast personal injury attorney to handle your claim.
Some Insurers Make Low Settlement Offers
One particularly common negotiation tactic used by some insurers is to make an absurdly low settlement offer to you. For example, if you think your case is worth around fifteen-to-twenty thousand dollars, and consider twelve thousand your absolute minimum acceptable offer, your attorney might submit an initial demand of twenty-seven thousand. This is deliberately high because your attorney expects to work down from there. However, the insurer might come back with a counter-offer of just three thousand.
What This Could Mean
If this happens, don’t be too shocked. It could mean that the carrier is extremely conservative and prefers to fight things out in court than settle any claims at all—it may sound foolish and unprofitable, but some insurers are just like that. It could also mean that the insurer considered your initial offer so unreasonably high that they decided to counter with something equally unreasonable. Or it might mean that the adjuster is attempting to lower your expectations of the case and prepare you for a settlement that will be lower than you expect. Finally, it might mean that the adjuster has very little room to negotiate from his or her boss, and his or her hands are tied.
How Your Attorney Can Respond
Your First Coast personal injury attorney can respond in several ways. Your attorney might advise you to adjust your expectations accordingly and reduce the demand. Or your attorney might continue the negotiation and inquire to the adjuster as to how much upward room there is. If the adjuster has some room to move up, your attorney might present a more reasonable demand. Or your attorney might decide that the adjuster is unlikely to offer a more reasonable figure, and decide that the best option is to proceed with a lawsuit.
If you have further questions about how handle a personal injury claim, contact First Coast personal injury attorney John Fagan today to schedule an initial consultation. (904) 215-5555
