Negotiating an Auto Injury Settlement in Lakewood

When planning to file a claim for injuries following an auto collision, it is not uncommon for the insurance company of the at-fault driver to offer a settlement in hopes of ending a case before it begins. However, victims should try to negotiate for more money since insurance companies tend to offer low compensation amounts.

For help with negotiating an auto injury settlement in Lakewood, be sure to retain legal help. With an attorney advocating on your behalf, you may be able to obtain the compensation you deserve.

Insurance’s Position on Negotiating Settlement

Insurance companies are, despite their advertisements, mostly concerned with minimizing the value of the settlement. If an unrepresented plaintiff attempts to settle the case on their own, there are factors of consideration that an insurance company compensating them for their injury will not mention to them. It can easily happen and that injured plaintiff who represents themselves can leave multiple thousands of dollars on the table, not realizing that they left out a factor of consideration relating to the auto accident.

Length of Time to Receive a Settlement

The length of time it takes to receive a settlement in Lakewood typically relates to how long the injured party requires medical treatment. For example, a plaintiff who has a low-impact injury and has medical treatment for only a period of a few weeks will have a much shorter turn around in terms of their case because they will complete their medical treatment sooner than would an injured plaintiff who experiences broken bones, requires multiple surgeries, and requires extensive medical treatment covering a period of months or even years.

In the case of the first person with a low property damage injury, their claim would be settled much more quickly than a person who is in medical treatment for an extended period of time, because the attorney representing the plaintiff will not begin to attempt to settle the case until the injured plaintiff has received the full complement of medical treatment that they require.

Expediting the Settlement Process

The process that it takes to receive a settlement could be expedited. It is vital that the medical records, the wage loss records, property damage records, the auto accident report, and all of the necessary documentation involved with the accident be obtained before or at least at the time the claimant is released from medical treatment, otherwise known as being placed at maximum medical improvement. If all the documentation regarding an accident is ready to go at the time the claimant is placed at maximum medical improvement, the information can be sent to the insurance company and the settlement process can begin sooner. If there is a long delay in obtaining medical records or other documentation that support the claim for compensation, then the settlement process will be delayed.

Common Issues Encountered in a Settlement Negotiation

Some of the issues a person might encounter when negotiating a settlement are that an insurance company or even one particular adjustor at a given insurance company might challenge every element of the injured plaintiff’s claim. In other instances, the adjustor or the insurance company may be much more amenable and negotiable with regard to settlement.

It is vitally important that the plaintiff retain an attorney who is experienced with all of the different insurance companies and even insurance adjustors, because that attorney will know how to forward the negotiation process in the most expeditious way. For example, if the attorney knows that this particular insurance company is difficult to deal with and challenges every element of the claim, the attorney may simply choose to put the case into litigation early rather than wasting their time on going through every point of the negotiation and have it not produce any reasonable offer.

Importance of Retaining Legal Assistance

When considering a settlement for a car accident, it is best if an injured person retains an attorney because of their lack of experience with auto accidents. They do not have a depth of experience of an attorney, who has worked for years on auto accidents, and had handled thousands of auto accident claims.

To get started on a claim, or to learn more, schedule a consultation today.