Legal
Negotiation Strategies for Slip and Fall Settlements
If you have been injured in an accident that requires medical attention, you certainly have many concerns about the inevitable settlement issues for your injury claim. Of course, any injured person would like to receive as much help as possible to fund their recovery. However, accident victims should constantly review the value of their full settlement throughout the negotiation process. Morgantown Slip and Fall Lawyers can help you file an injury lawsuit and win a reasonable settlement. Keeping the following points in mind can help you or a loved one during the bargaining process:
Prepare Yourself for Answers and Know Your Worth
Some insurance adjusters may offer “take it or leave it” to settle your slip and fall settlement at the beginning of the negotiation process. Therefore, you need to prepare yourself to answer the questions. Otherwise, you may end up with an injury settlement that is not enough to cover all the expenses related to your injuries.
There are two things to keep in mind when drafting your settlement demand:
- You estimate the value of your claim (as indicated in your settlement claim)
- The smallest amount that you would take within that range
Your “minimum” settlement price statistics may need to change over time. However, it is crucial to establish the bottom line of your minimum settlement amount, as this is an essential step towards making the largest settlement deal possible.
Don’t Accept Any Lowball Offers
Some insurance adjusters may make the first offer, which is far less than your minimum. They use this tactic to gauge your understanding of insurance policies and claims to settle your claim quickly.
Don’t accept a lowball settlement from an adjuster, especially if you’re not sure about the value of your claim. Instead, ask why your settlement offer is so low, and talk to a personal injury lawyer to get more help. Having a specialized dispute resolution lawyer at the negotiating table will allow you to get what is fair.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is a “time limit” for pursuing personal injury claims. If you do not file a claim within the said time limit, you will not be able to pursue an injury claim and receive compensation for them.
Start filing your case as soon as possible after the accident to avoid the “timeout” of your claim. Gather necessary documents and evidence and get witness contact information as soon as possible. Remember, each state has its statute of limitations; therefore, hiring an attorney quickly will speed up the process.
If you want to carry out a settlement discussion yourself, here are some tips, but we highly recommend that you let a legal expert do it for you. The guilty party’s insurance company deals with most settlement cases. Unfortunately, insurance companies work just like any other business; they have to protect their interests and take steps to ensure their profits. Therefore, most companies want to settle the dispute out of the court and with minimum payouts. This is where an expert attorney can help you out with not only winning a favorable settlement but also protecting you from exploitation from the guilty side.