Tips for Getting the Best Personal Injury Settlement

If you have suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover compensation for the resulting damages. While the compensation you get may not undo the harm of the injury, it can help lessen the financial burden. 

You must file an injury claim or lawsuit, and the insurer may not agree to your settlement request. Doing things right can maximize your injury settlement. Below are some handy tips to help you get the best personal injury settlement. 

Collect and Preserve Evidence
Preserving evidence fresh from the accident scene will go a long way in helping you validate your claim. The challenge is that you will have a considerably short window of time to conduct your investigations and collect evidence. 

For instance, if you fall on another party’s premises, the owner will hastily clean up the scene. Similarly, if you get involved in a road accident, it is customary for traffic police to move the involved vehicles within minutes. 

Therefore, taking photos or a video of the accident scene immediately after the incident is the best thing to do. Maintain a detailed record of this evidence and use it to argue your case during settlement negotiations. 

Do Not Post or Discuss Accident Details on Social Media
People’s immediate desire to connect with others online causes them to post even the most sensitive aspects of their lives on social media. While you might feel the urge to share your experience with your followers, you should refrain from posting any accident-related content. Insurance companies can sometimes use social media posts to deny or lower your settlement request. It is standard practice for insurance underwriters to scour claimants’ Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram profiles for any evidence suggesting their claims are not valid. Images of you taking part in physical acts around the same time of the accident or posts assuring people you are okay after the accident can easily be used to deny you a reasonable personal injury settlement. 

Never Accept the First Offer
Insurance adjusters always make initial lowball offers in the hope of tempting claimants to accept. They aim to help their employer pay the least possible settlement amount and make huge profits. After all, insurance companies are in the business of making profits. 

“The first offer is the adjuster’s way of assessing your patience and checking whether you understand the true value of your claim,” says personal injury lawyer Joseph G. Kopfler of the Kopfler & Herman law firm.  When you get the first offer from the at-fault party’s insurer or lawyer, the most prudent course of action is to make a counter-offer based on the amount detailed in your demand letter. To increase your chances of getting a higher personal injury settlement, counter with an amount slightly higher than the amount quoted in your demand letter. This tactic will prove to the adjuster that you are an enlightened and reasonable negotiator. During negotiations, emphasize your strongest arguments, show that you are willing to compromise, and do not settle for anything less than a fair offer.   

Conclusions

Ultimately these three tips will increase your chances of getting a higher personal injury settlement in your case. No matter the situation, it is challenging to go at it alone. Contact a local personal injury lawyer to see how they can help with your compensation while healing from your injury.

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