At The Bonneau Law Firm, our car accident lawyers have helped many clients get the compensation they deserve for their accident or injury case. We have been able to help our clients negotiate fair and reasonable settlements with their insurance companies and today’s article is about how the negotiation process works.
After you have presented the insurance company with a demand letter stating the reasons for settlement and the amount that you have calculated as reasonable compensation, the negotiations will start next. During the first call with the insurance adjuster, we will each make points about the strengths and weaknesses of your claim. The adjuster will then make a settlement offer lower than the amount you requested in your demand letter. We usually do not jump at the first offer, but rather have a minimum settlement figure we know is fair to accept in mind during negotiations. This figure is so that we can keep your bottom line in mind, but it is not something we reveal to the adjuster.
Insurance adjusters will usually use an offer so low that it is obviously just a negotiation tactic. You may notice that we ask the adjuster to give us specific reasons as to why the offer is so low and make note of what he or she tells us. We use these notes to write a brief letter of response before the next negotiation call.
Finally, we make sure to emphasize emotional points. During negotiations, we may need to reiterate the strongest points of your case (not all—that’s what the demand letter is for) about your injury, medical costs, or long-term effects. But we could mention if your injury interfered with your ability to care for you child or the injury strained your relationship with your spouse. While there is no way to put a dollar value on emotional issues, they can be powerful during negotiations.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident and the insurance company refuses fair compensation, call The Bonneau Law Firm today at (972) 325-1100 to speak with an experienced and aggressive personal injury attorney.