Car Accident Negotiations and Settlement
Car accidents give rise to so many things. Some are police reports, medical attention, insurance claims, litigations, and insurance claim settlements. Not only do you make claims for personal injury, you might also need to make claims for damages to your property or vehicle.
More often than not, adjusters are the first ones to take steps after you have filed for an insurance claim and they will try to offer you a settlement amount. However, if you have a clear-cut estimation of the value of your claim, you do not have to wait for the other person to present his or her offer. You can simply draft a demand letter with the amount you deem your claim is valued at. If you are not sure about writing one, you can seek help from your lawyer.
Adjusters often respond in a number of days and they generally do with a counter-offer. You then engage in a negotiation and if you come to an agreement on a certain figure, you can say the insurance claim has been settled.
There are times when adjusters offer much lower values compared with what you demand from them. Adjusters generally keep a settlement range and they will normally start with lowest possible figure. You can go on presenting offers and you will receive counter-offers. However, when adjusters reach the highest possible amount they can offer in their settlement range, they will stick to that and discontinue giving you counter-offers.
When you have reached a standoff in a car accident settlement, there are still actions that you can take so you can have a step closer to your rightful claim. You can seek the advice of a car accident lawyer to help you verify if the settlement amount you have in mind is reasonable based on the facts surrounding the accident and pertinent documentation. You can also hire a lawyer to continue the settlement for you. If you wish to continue with the settlement without retaining the services of a lawyer, you can send a letter your insurance company to help support the value you have allotted to your claim. You can also ask for alternative dispute resolution, usually through mediation or arbitration.
If you still reach an impasse after taking further steps in a car accident settlement, especially if your lawyer believes your case has greater insurance value than what the insurance company is giving it, it might be time to file a lawsuit against the negligent driver and have him or her face charges in the court of law.