Serious car accidents may cause you to spend weeks or months in a hospital bed and invite substantial medical bills. On top of medical bills piling up, there is also a financial strain going on due to missing work temporarily or even permanently. Moreover, you may also experience certain emotional and mental damages apart from financial losses.
With so many types of losses and damages, accepting a lower settlement offer is not an answer. You must work with an attorney and determine the amount you deserve so that you know when you are being offered a low amount. Fortunately, you do not have to accept a low offer and have other legal options. To speak to an attorney, click here.
What to do when the settlement offer is too low?
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Remain calm.
Being offered a bad settlement amount when you know what your claim is worth can be frustrating and angering. However, you owe it to yourself not to give them an emotional reaction. Instead, try to remain calm and professional. You are under no obligation to speak with the insurance company, so it is best to have your attorney speak to them.
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Carefully evaluate the offer.
Sometimes people are quick to refuse an offer without thinking twice about whether it meets their needs. Do not go straight to court even if it does not meet your needs. This is because your case may have certain demerits that could get exposed in court, and you could end up with no compensation at all. Therefore, a low offer is better than nothing at all.
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Develop a counteroffer.
After you reject the insurance company’s offer, chances are that your attorney will make a counteroffer explaining your damages, like medical bills, lost wages, and mental and emotional pain. They may consider other factors like the limits of the available insurance policy and the personal assets of the wrongdoer if their insurance funds are not enough to pay the entire damages.
It is important to note that you might have to go back and forth various times while negotiating before you can arrive at a decision. When negotiation stalls out, it is best to take your case to court if your attorney suggests.
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File a lawsuit.
If you cannot convince the insurance company, you can take your case to court. For this, you will require an experienced lawyer who regularly fights for compensation in court.
