When you retain an attorney for your personal injury case, the majority of those stressful tasks are taken care of so all you have to do is get well. However, if you decide to pursue settlement of your insurance claim unrepresented; here are some tips:<\/p>\n
Obtain and Review your Medical Records:\u00a0\u00a0The value of your personal injury settlement firmly correlates\u00a0with\u00a0the information found in your medical chart notes.\u00a0 Therefore, it is important for you to\u00a0review those records\u00a0and send them to the insurance adjuster with your settlement demand.\u00a0 In your demand packet you should highlight the medical records supporting your claim for injury, disability, pain, suffering, work restrictions, and residual medical issues.\u00a0 This will also prepare you for the adjuster\u2019s critique of your case during the negotiation phase.<\/p>\n
Photographic Evidence:\u00a0 You should\u00a0secure pictures of the property damage to your car and the car of the bad driver.\u00a0 These pictures will provide proof of the accident and the force of impact.\u00a0 The other set of pictures you want to get are those of any visible injuries to your body.\u00a0 If your injuries include cuts, abrasions, lacerations, scars, or similarly visible wounds make sure you take pictures.\u00a0 By providing the insurance adjuster with copies of the above pictures you will further substantiate the legitimacy and extent of your personal injury claim.<\/p>\n
Narrative Report:\u00a0 Number one\u00a0above addresses\u00a0procuring and reviewing your medical records.\u00a0 This may be all that is necessary to provide medical proof of your injuries.\u00a0 However, sometimes the medical chart notes are not sufficient to explain the\u00a0causal connection\u00a0between the car accident and the subsequent injuries and need for medical treatment.\u00a0 In that event, you will need to request a letter from your treating physician\u00a0to explain the nature and extent of injuries.\u00a0 Typically this letter will include a description of the injuries related to the accident, the necessity of\u00a0treatment for the injuries, and your future disability or limitations if any.\u00a0 You should also know that most physicians will charge you for their time to provide you with this letter.<\/p>\n
Demand Letter:\u00a0 As alluded to above, you will need to send theinsurance\u00a0adjuster a \u201cdemand\u2019 letter when you are ready to settle your claim. \u00a0While there is no specific method or style\u00a0for crafting this letter, it should be a comprehensive letter that details the accident, your subsequent injuries, effect on your life, and claims for economic and non-economic losses.\u00a0 Make sure to include all of the above referenced documents as attachments (exhibits)\u00a0to your settlement demand letter.<\/p>\n
The letter should end with a specific request for monetary compensation.\u00a0 In other words, you should specify to the adjuster what amount you are willing to settle your claim for.\u00a0\u00a0Keep in mind that this is a negotiation process\u00a0and that your first number will be one of several you will need to consider.\u00a0 During the negotiation process the adjuster will increase their offer and you will need to decrease your demand to make progress.\u00a0 Remember that when you consider what amount you include with your demand letter.<\/p>\n
Honest Evaluation of Your Claim:\u00a0 You must know the\u00a0reasonable range of your settlement value.\u00a0 You may have made your mind about what settlement amount you should receive for your claim, but if that amount is not realistic (empirical)\u00a0you will NOT be able to settle your claim.\u00a0 Do your homework.\u00a0 Research what similar cases settled for or what juries have awarded other plaintiffs with similar cases in your venue.\u00a0 This is difficult for non-attorneys to do, but without a realistic value range, you may settle your case cheaply or expect an unrealistic settlement offer.<\/p>\n
Settling a car accident case is a complex process\u00a0with multiple moving parts.\u00a0 This is why it requires attorneys to specialize in this field to do a good job for their clients.\u00a0 For decades our law firm has been doing just that.\u00a0 With abundant\u00a0experience and specialization I am certain we can help you with your case.\u00a0 Feel free to call us to schedule a\u00a0FREE consultation\u00a0and see how we can be of assistance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When you retain an attorney for your personal injury case, the majority of those stressful tasks are taken care of so all you have to do is get well. However, if you decide to pursue settlement of your insurance claim unrepresented; here are some tips: Obtain and Review your Medical Records:\u00a0\u00a0The value of your personal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_angie_page":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12,13,23,24,14,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accident","category-auto","category-car","category-injury","category-monetary","category-personal-injury","category-settlements"],"yoast_head":"\n