They have done what they want you to believe you deserve, most likely offering you too little in compensation for the damages.
Don’t Go Against Insurance Companies Alone – Call the Ehline Law Firm
Accepting the first settlement offer from the insurers after the auto accident may seem tempting because you need relief from medical bills and other losses. However, it is wrong to accept the initial offer. You must speak to an Ehline Law Firm personal injury lawyer before negotiating with the insurance company, and you must not do anything that constitutes acceptance.
What Is in an Initial Offer from an Insurance Company?
Once an insurer arrives at a settlement figure, they decide what to offer, and that first offer will be a meager percentage of what the insurer believes to be the final value of the case. For instance, after the process is complete, the insurer may present you a first offer that is only 40% of the total case value, especially if the plaintiff has no legal representation.
What Comes Next After A Personal Injury Claim?
After a car accident, there are damages and injuries, and usually, a driver is at fault, and they have to take responsibility for their negligent action. The at-fault party contacts their insurance company, who will pay the settlement to the injured party based on the insurance policy that the driver at fault has made or registered with them.
It is impulsive for insurance companies to try to shy away from the fault so that they might be free from paying any settlement whatsoever, or they might try to pass some blame onto you, so they might have a lower cost to pay you or even pay nothing at all. They look into the police report, get testimonies from eyewitnesses, and so on.
An Insurance Adjuster May Cheat You
Insurance companies have insurance adjusters to investigate your demand claim for an insurance settlement. After different consultations, investigations, and gathering of evidence from various sources, they estimate how much the cost of your settlement should be.
Going through an accident is a very traumatizing, debilitating, and in no way a good experience. Yet, in such a state of yours, the insurer tries to push their low initial offer to you. In such a situation, you must resist the temptation to be too quick to accept the first offer as there will be future costs you must carefully consider before making any significant decisions.
Instead of agreeing with or accepting the first offer, pick up your phone and put a call through to us at (213) 596-9642. Let a professional injury attorney in Los Angeles make a claim for you and help get you maximum compensation.
Why You Should Not Accept the Insurance Company’s First Offer
Insurance companies usually don’t want to pay any settlement offer if possible, or they wish to pay the least amount imaginable. When they have no choice but to take responsibility for the compensation of the settlement offer, the insurance company’s first offer is usually meager. It is not a fair settlement for you. This is why you must not accept the first offer they make to you after making a claim.
Do not accept the initial settlement offer the insurance company brings forth. It would be best if you were not quick to make decisions but seek legal advice from a professional injury lawyer to receive fair compensation.
Keep in mind that the insurance company’s settlement offer is not just about medical costs but it also includes costs for vehicle repairs and other future expenses that will help you get back on your feet. Through the ridiculous offer that the insurance company makes, they keep their company money, and that’s how insurance companies stay in business. They understand the ideal settlement figure they should make as compensation for your personal injury.
But they will not just do that. They do not have your best interest in mind or care about your physical injuries, pain, and suffering, so they try to lure you into accepting the lowest amount they can.
Hiring Personal Injury Lawyers
In a personal injury case, maybe after you have sustained injuries in an accident, you might be bedridden, for example, or you might still be in shock at what happened. It will be a significant advantage if you hire a personal injury lawyer.
The experienced attorney will know how to deal with the insurance company effectively on your behalf regarding the settlement amount. Your lawyer should see to the settlement negotiation process with the insurance company to make sure that they make an accurate estimate that accounts for lost wages. At the same time, you were unable to work, and the cost of physical therapy, other medical bills, and other damages caused you to the full extent as the insurance policies oblige them to settle you.
Your attorney is in charge of negotiations toward your best interest right from the starting point. He writes the demand letter to the insurance company for you. Your attorney ensures that no insurance company cheats you on the costs of compensation the insurance adjuster puts forth.
So, our Los Angeles injury attorneys should negotiate on behalf of their injured clients much better than the clients themselves trying to negotiate. Therefore, in a car accident case, contact your attorney as soon as possible, and give an account of the specific information related to the claim.
Conclusion
After experiencing an accident for the first time, you are in such a dilemma and may be in shock. You have sustained severe injuries, enduring pain and suffering, and must repair your damaged vehicle. You are so desperate to get back up on your feet so you can get back to work and attend to other pressing issues. Thankfully, the party at fault is ready to take responsibility; they have liability coverage with an insurer.
Yet, in this state, the insurance company is trying to push its luck to make you agree to a meager amount of money. Are they not aware of how much you have to pay for physiotherapy? Or how much will you need that money to live on until you can get back to work?
Should you not get across your lawyer to claim compensation for you? Should you settle for the insurer’s ridiculous amount without any negotiation? Of course not!!!
Claim Your Free Consultation
Contact us at (213) 596-9642 or fill out the contact form for your free consultation and free case review. If you experience injury in an accident, establish an attorney-client relationship and get legal backing from an expert team at winning personal injury cases.