When you’ve been injured due to the carelessness of another party, their insurance company should be responsible for your damages. However, insurers are motivated to pay injured parties as little as possible. Personal injury lawyers typically have to negotiate a settlement, which can be a long process. Here's what you should know about it to get the most out of your case. 

The Process of Negotiating a Personal Injury Settlement

As soon as your personal injury lawyer has calculated a fair settlement that covers all your damages, they’ll send a demand letter to the insurance company. The amount in the demand letter should include compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering.

After receiving your demand letter, the insurance company will review the evidence showing liability. If your case is particularly strong, they may pay the amount you ask for. However, in most cases, they’ll make a counteroffer much lower than your actual damages.

When you respond, you may have to detail the evidence you’ve collected and prove that the treatments you received were medically necessary. The insurer may accept, or they may respond with an offer slightly higher than before.

Why You Should Let a Personal Injury Lawyer Handle Negotiations

Insurance companies often prefer to drag out negotiations in the hopes that you’ll simply accept a low offer. In other cases, they may refuse to make a counteroffer if they can claim they aren’t responsible for your damages.

Personal injury lawyers can leverage the threat of expensive lawsuits to compel insurance companies to negotiate in good faith. Insurers know attorneys know how to collect evidence to build the strongest case possible, and may actually prevail in court. Settling is usually less expensive than a lawsuit, so you’re more likely to receive fair compensation if you have legal representation.

After an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, Carolyn Adams Attorney At Law will fight to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. For over 30 years, this personal injury lawyer has been representing accident victims throughout London, KY, and the surrounding areas of Corbin, Somerset, Hyden, and Lexington. Visit their website to learn how they can help, or call (606) 877-1148 to schedule your consultation.