A car accident lasts only a few seconds. However, you may have to bear the consequences of this event for many months or even years. Depending on the severity of your injuries, they may affect your short or long-term health. Moreover, you may have to pay very high medical expenses to deal with them. Therefore, you may wonder how you will pay for these bills and how you will support yourself while recovering from your injuries. The answer is simple: with a proper settlement.
After a car accident, you have the right to pursue a personal injury claim against the responsible driver. Through this claim, you could receive money to recover your damages and be compensated for the pain and suffering you have gone through.
Now, to get the maximum compensation possible, you must know how to negotiate your car accident settlement. Here you will learn what you must do to best position your claim for success.
Start your claim right after your accident
After a car accident, the first thing you should do is seek the medical attention you need. Then, try to contact your insurance company and the other driver’s insurer to begin your claim process immediately. If you wait too long, you may lose your right to recover damages after the accident. On the other hand, if you are too injured to do it on your own, you may want to entrust the process to an LA car accident attorney.
Have a number in mind
As you prepare your demand letter, you should determine what you believe the value of your case is. In other words, pinpoint a minimum amount of money you would accept before negotiating with the insurance adjuster. Doing so will allow you to have a frame of reference during the negotiation. However, you should not reveal this number to anyone.
If you want to know the actual value of your case in a matter of minutes, you may want to talk to an auto accident attorney near you, such as C&B Law Group.
Don’t accept the first offer
In most cases, the insurer’s first offer will be extremely low; make sure you don’t accept it. This is a ploy by the insurance company to see if they can get you to take a small settlement.
Even if the initial offer seems enticing, don’t jump on it. Chances are you can get even more money if you are patient and intelligent.
Be patient but persistent
Negotiating a settlement can take many months. It is a long and tiring experience, especially as you watch your medical bills pile up. However, it would help if you tried to be patient and persistent throughout the process.
Besides, insurance companies often try to delay your claim as long as they can to get you to accept an insufficient offer. This is just one of their negotiation tactics, don’t fall into their trap.
Work with an attorney
In many cases, working with a Los Angeles car accident lawyer can increase the chances of success for your claim. An experienced attorney will know the insurance companies’ negotiating tactics and how to counter them effectively.
Furthermore, the attorney will negotiate aggressively on your behalf and will do everything in his or her power to get you the maximum possible compensation for your case.
Most Los Angeles motor vehicle accident attorneys, such as C&B Law Group, offer completely free consultations. So, if you have more questions, or want to know the value of your case, don’t hesitate to contact them. You have nothing to lose.
