Personal Injury - Get the Money You Deserve

Contributed by Sally Smith

If you believe you have a legitimate personal injury case, you may need to consult the services of a lawyer. We will give you advice on how to negotiate with your insurance company, advise you on how much your case may be, and ultimately teach you how you can determine legal liability.

Do I Need a Lawyer?

If you have experienced the following, you may need to consult a law firm:

• An accident that significantly affects your functional day to day capabilities over a year or even permanently.

• An event that results in an altered appearance over a year or permanently.

• A severe injury that leads to a large sum of medical bills.

• Suffering an illness or injury due to medical malpractice. This includes: incompetent, unprofessional, or careless treatment by a medical professional.

• An insurance company refusing to pay.

If you are currently experiencing some of the following situations, you may want to consult the guidance of a law firm.

How Do I Negotiate with My Insurance Company?

You may be in a situation where you have sent your demand letter to the insurance company. After this process, you will enter a series of phone calls with an insurance adjuster. During this time, there will be a conversation about different points of the claims. After this episode is completed, you will probably be offered a lower number then what you asked for in your demand letter, therefore you will have to demand a higher amount.

It is recommended that you do not jump at the very first offer. You may want to deduct a slight amount off your initial demand just to show that you are reasonable. You should have an amount after approximately 2 or 3 insurance calls. After you and the insurance adjustor have come to an agreement – it’s time to put the settlement into writing.

In the final agreement letter, you want to keep it extremely short, only mentioning the amount in which you settled, the date by which you expect to receive the settlement, and the overall damages that are being covered by the settlement.

How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

Before you negotiate your claim, it is important to figure out how much your case is really worth. It really comes down to your total amount of “damages”. While monetary damages are included in the figure, there are other things such as physical, mental, and psychological damage as well.

You may receive compensation for income that you lost due to an injury. Other compensatory damages include: property loss as a result of someone else’s negligence, emotional distress because of the psychological impact of an injury, and much more.

At the end of the day, if you do believe you have a legitimate personal injury case, we do recommend that you seek the consultation of a law firm. Also, it is important to note that most states expect you to take action following an injury. This includes seeking medical attention or the help of a psychologist.