If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, you will have to file an injury claim to receive compensation for your losses. In most cases, you will want to file a claim with the insurer of the owner of the property upon which you fell. Once filed, the insurance company assigns a claims adjuster to your claim and you will eventually negotiate with this adjuster to settle your claim. Make sure you follow the below tips before negotiations begin to get the payout you deserve.
Have a Negotiating Plan
Before working with an adjuster, make sure you put together a plan to help guide your negotiations. The plan should include a minimum amount that you are willing to settle your claim for. When you negotiate, make sure you keep this figure in the back of your mind and stay true to yourself if an adjuster tries to settle the claim for less.
Your plan should also try to include a way to put an emotional twist on your accident/injuries. Many adjusters are used to viewing claims in terms of pure dollar figures. Try and talk about your claim in a way that brings some emotional value to it. For example, if you have a photo that shows your injury in detail, make sure you reference that photo when negotiating.
Beware of lowball settlement offers
Claims adjusters are notorious for fighting injury claims tooth and nail. This is because they work for the insurance company handling your claim and want to save their employer money. An adjuster’s aggressive negotiation tactics will likely mean that the adjuster will extend you a lowball settlement offer as soon as negotiations start.
Don’t let this annoy you or make you lose confidence in the value of your claim. Unfortunately, a lowball offer is just part of the game sometimes. Keep your cool and respond to the offer with a counteroffer that more closely resembles a fair settlement for your claim.
Do Not Let an Offer Limit Your Negotiations
Adjusters will rarely offer to settle your claim for the full value of what you believe it is worth. They will, rather, try and offer a settlement for a value lower than what you are after. When a lower offer comes your way, do not believe that this offer now represents the maximum amount that your claim is worth. You can still negotiate for a settlement amount higher than what the offer was for.
For example, you may feel that your slip and fall claim is worth $10,000. The adjuster may make you an offer to settle the claim for $4,000. This does not mean that the maximum value of your claim is now $4,000. The maximum value is still $10,000, and you can ask for that amount or an amount somewhere between $4,000 and $10,000.
Contact an Attorney for Help
Negotiating a claim settlement is not an easy process. Adjusters can be difficult, and the process is one where stress abounds. Please know that you can speak with an attorney at any time before your claim settles. If negotiations are going bad, or you are having a hard time working with an adjuster, contact an attorney for help. Sometimes personal injury lawyers are better situated to effectively settle a slip and fall claim.
Contact Otorowski Morrow & Golden, PLLC
Please know that our firm is here to help. Otorowski Morrow & Golden, PLLC provides free consultations to all our potential clients. The attorneys at our law firm have over 120 years of combined experience representing injured parties and negotiating with insurance companies. They never back down to insurers and fight for their clients’ interests every step of the way. Do yourself a favor and contact them now for the quality legal assistance you deserve.