An accident happened. You filed a claim for your losses with the insurance provider. Instead of a check, they sent you a settlement offer. It does not cover all of your bills let alone help you with finances for pain and suffering and lost time at work. What do you do?
Most insurance companies will send settlement offers like this in the hopes you will decide it is easier to just accept it and move on. Do not do this. Instead, your goal should be to go back to the insurer with documentation and proof you deserve more. And, when you do, with the help of your Little Rock personal injury attorney at Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers Injury Lawyers, you can be sure your claim will be fully understood.
Read Through the Offer
If you receive a low settlement offer, or even worse, a denial of the claim, the first step is always to understand what it actually says. Insurance companies notoriously make it difficult for individuals to understand these details. Our personal injury lawyers in Little Rock are available to help you do this. When you respond, you will need to know:
- What they are paying for
- What they are specifically stating they are not paying for
- What rejections they state are applicable to your situation
Knowing what the problem is can often open the door into what steps you need to take to increase your settlement offer. This does not always happen, though. In most situations, this initial offer is just that – it is a starting point from which the insurance company plans to negotiate from based on whatever else you can provide. In other words, it is up to you to show them why you deserve more at this point.
Why Is Your Offer So Low?
Some settlement offers offer more information and detail than others do. In all cases, you need to understand why they are initially rejecting some of your claims. Here are some common reasons.
There Is a Lack of Information
Perhaps you do not have all of your medical bills outlined clearly as to what they are for and why they were needed. Any type of lack of information or insufficient information will lead to a limited amount of coverage from an insurer. To overcome this, always provide specific information about any medical bill including:
- What it was for
- How it relates to the injury itself
- When it was and what was the result
This type of information helps the organization see how the medical bill applies specifically to the injury case. If you have an x-ray for a back injury, for example, you need to clearly define that it does not apply to any pre-existing condition.
Pre-existing Conditions
A common reason for a refusal to pay claims may come from your medical record. If you have a pre-existing condition, this does not mean that you cannot claim it on the accident claim. However, you need to show how the accident made it worse or otherwise impacted it.
Respond with Details and Emotion
One of the key things you will need to do when responding to such an offer is to utilize some level of emotion. In your initial claim, you provided a great deal of fact. You should have outlined everything that occurred, timelines, and events. You should have spoken about the care you received and the condition at length. Now, incorporate a bit of emotion.
That is, show how this accident impacted your life. Did it make it hard for you to work? Did it limit your ability to meet your family’s obligations? Perhaps it will create a long-term hardship for you, one where you will be unable to recover. Why? How?
Working with a Personal Injury Attorney Can Define the End Result
There is never a guarantee in cases like this. However, it is always possible to take a person or an insurer to court when you have verifiable losses. This can become very complex, though. For this reason, it is always best for you to work closely with an Arkansas personal injury attorney like our team. We will answer your questions and help you to formulate a counteroffer they will need to respond to.
Here is a helpful infographic to determine if you may have a personal injury case:
Do I Have a Personal Injury Case (2)Schedule a Free Case Review with Us Before You Respond to Any Settlement Offer
The job of any insurance agent is to reduce how much the company has to pay out – it saves them money. However, this is not fair to you, the innocent person who suffered loss due to the negligence of another party. When you come in for a free case review with our team at the Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers Injury Lawyers, we will go over your case with you and speak to you about all of your options. Call us now at 888-220-7068 or use our online contact form to provide us with information now.
