Dealing with a personal injury can be a painful process, both physically and legally. Insurance companies are supposed to help us financially when we are hurt, but they are sometimes not as helpful as they should be.
Getting a settlement for a personal injury from an insurance company is not a “take it or leave it” situation. Settlements are determined through negotiation, and you are free to reject a settlement offer from the insurance company if it is inadequate. Do not be afraid to reject a settlement. The insurance company cannot refuse to deal with you if you do not accept the first offer. An attorney can help you gather evidence to support a better settlement to pay for your damages. If the insurance company is unwavering, we can file a lawsuit to make them pay you the settlement you are entitled to.
Dealing with a personal injury is never easy, and your insurance company should not make the situation worse. Our New Jersey personal injury lawyers can help you negotiate for the best settlement possible. For a free case review, call Legal Care New Jersey at (732) 838-9769.
Settling a Personal Injury Claim with an Insurance Company in New Jersey
If you are covered by an insurance policy, the insurance company must pay you what your injuries are worth. Getting to a settlement is not always guaranteed, and insurance companies are known to lowball their customers. Our Jersey City personal injury lawyers can help you get a settlement that meets all your needs.
Insurance claimants are sometimes under the mistaken impression that insurance payouts always cover all their needs. After all, insurance policies are often advertised as completely covering somebody in case of an accident or injury. In reality, insurance settlements are rarely straightforward, and people often need to argue for the full value of their damages. Settlements result from intense negotiations, and the first offer from the insurance company might not exactly meet all your needs.
The first rule of negotiations is to never accept the first offer. Insurance companies might claim they want to help you, but they are more interested in saving money wherever possible. This often means cutting corners on settlements and hoping customers do not challenge them. An attorney can stick up for you and make the insurance company pay you the money you deserve.
Rejecting a Settlement Offer for a Personal Injury From an Insurance Company in New Jersey
Claimants sometimes hesitate to reject an offer because they fear the insurance company will not make another offer. The truth is that the insurance company is legally obligated to pay for your damages if its policy covers your injuries. The trick is getting them to pay you what you deserve rather than what they claim you deserve.
Settlements are not set in stone until you accept them. Just because the insurance company says they will pay a certain of money for your claim does not mean that is the settlement you are stuck with. To reject a bad settlement offer, you must take a firm stance and explain that the insurance company’s offered settlement is inadequate. Our Paterson personal injury lawyers can help you calculate your damages to make a counteroffer that covers all your expenses.
Although claimants are not legally required to hire attorneys to help them deal with insurance companies, it would be unwise to forego a lawyer’s advice and assistance. Insurance companies tend to rely on their customers being unaware they can reject a settlement for a personal injury and negotiate for a better one. Your attorney can help you take a firm stance and argue for a settlement covering your injuries’ costs.
Negotiating for a Better Personal Injury Settlement with a New Jersey Insurance Company
The first step in negotiating a better personal injury settlement is to reject the insurance company’s offer and come back with a better counteroffer. Negotiations can be tricky, and anticipating the other party’s next move is crucial. We should make a counteroffer that is as high as reasonably possible because there is a good chance that the insurance company will reject it and make another offer.
This time, the insurance company’s offered settlement should be higher than their first offer. We can go back and forth like this until the settlement is sufficient for your needs and expenses.
To strengthen our arguments, we need evidence. Evidence should show the extent and severity of your injuries and your total expenses. The terms of your policy are crucial evidence in your case. We must prove to the insurance company that, by the terms of their own policy, they are legally obligated to pay your more money.
The policy is binding. To refuse to comply with the insurance policy terms is a breach of the insurance company’s contractual obligations. More serious legal action might be necessary at that point, and our Lakewood personal injury attorneys can help you.
What to Do if the Insurance Company Will Not Offer a Better Personal Injury Settlement in New Jersey
Sometimes, insurance companies cannot be made to see reason and refuse to pay an injured customer what their damages are worth under their policy. Other times, the insurance company might deny the claim altogether even though it is clearly covered. In such cases, our Elizabeth personal injury attorney can help you sue the insurance company to make them pay for your damages.
If the insurance company wrongfully denies your claim or refuses to pay a sufficient settlement, they might be dealing in bad faith. Dealing in bad faith generally refers to when insurance companies know they must cover a customer’s claim, but they make up lies or claim things that are not real to deny the claim. Other times, they trick customers into paying for insurance policies that do not actually cover the customer’s needs. Bad faith dealings are illegal, and a court of law can make the insurance company pay up.
In a lawsuit, you can recover the money the insurance company owes you as part of your policy and other damages for their bad behavior. For example, you can claim your legal fees and other additional costs incurred because the insurance company refused to pay.
Call Our New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys for a Free Case Review
If you plan to file an insurance claim for a personal injury, you should avoid doing so alone. Our Newark personal injury attorneys can help you get the best settlement possible. For a free case review, call Legal Care New Jersey at (732) 838-9769.
