When someone else’s negligence and careless driving causes a car accident, it can take a toll on the victim, especially if that person is you. An ambulance can send you to the hospital for minor to life-threatening injuries and you vehicle may be totaled, depending on the crash’s severity. In addition to pain and suffering, the opposing driver can leave you with expensive automobile and medical bills that you never asked for.
However, the situation becomes difficult when the driver’s insurance adjustor gives you a low settlement for your car accident that does not cover all your losses. You could still be recovering from the crash, unable to work and without a job, yet the responsible party would not pay what they owe. Repairs, surgeries, lost wages, follow-up doctor appointments, etc continue to accumulate and you are stuck as they try to pressure you into accepting their offer.
You can respond confidently to low settlement offers by writing a rejection letter and making a reasonable counteroffer, if you find yourself in a similar situation. Once you learn more about why your insurance adjuster lowballed you in the first place, you can relax and move forward as a victor, not a victim.
Lowball Settlement Offer: Why Did I Receive It?
In most cases, you will receive an undesirable settlement offer simply because that is the opposing insurance company’s job. They are capitalistic, for-profit companies that aim to maximaize their profits while reducing their payouts for car accidents. If they can offer you a lower settlement and avoid spending big corporate dollars, they will do so without hesitation.
Insurance adjustors, to spin your car accident in their company’s favor, can manipulate your unexplained medical bill gaps and car damages. They are able to get away with this kind of dishonest misinformation since it is incomplete: car accident injuries often develop over time and vehicle damages can be open to interpretation. When you are in a vulnerable position after a car crash, they try to persuade you into accepting a low offer that will not cover all your bills.
Similarly, the opposing insurance company can use your pre-existing medical conditions as an arguement for reducing your car accident settlement. This is because if the auto crash caused damage to an already compromised part of your body, they can claim your injuries are not from the other driver.
It is wise to carefully read your low settlement offer and contact the claims adjuster, asking them what factors they considered when calculating your dollar amount. You can also look at a personal injury settlement calculator to learn more about these determiners and which ones are a part of your unique car accident.
Write a Rejection Letter
Once you understand why the other insurance company sent you less compensation than you deserve and you have thoroughly read the settlement offer, you need to respond with a rejection letter. You have a legal right, as a party in the car accident insurance claim, to dismiss the amount that the adjustor gave you and fight for a higher payment. However, you must make specific arguments based on your current settlement, pointing out any errors on the document, and back up your claims.
If you did not provide the opposing insurance company with crucial case evidence, such as medical bills, repair costs, and photographs, you should send them in your rejection letter too. These become especially important if you have acquired new expenses since the beginning of the accident that contribute to your unexpected bill costs.
Make a Reasonable Counteroffer
A reasonable counteroffer is a key component of your rejection letter that you must include for the insurance adjustor to increase your settlement. Without a new compensation amount for them to consider, you have no local ground to defend obtaining a higher dollar amount. Specifying a total amount will seal the deal for the opposing insurance company to seriously look over your proposal.
If their initial offer, for example, is $40,000 for your car accident settlement and it does not completely cover your crash bills, you could counter them by requesting $50,00-$55,000. You need to write in a professional tone and explain to the insurance company why you deserve more.
The worst they can do is deny your claim, but you also have the option to discuss further settlement negotiations with a law firm and personal injury lawyer.
We Have Experience Negotiating Low Settlement Offers
You, like other personal injury victims, can find yourself in a financially challenging position if an opposing driver crashes into your vehicle and compromises its functionality and your health. Feeling like a victim is difficult to avoid when you are wearing a cast or are having to catch rides from family. Insurance adjustors are infamous for offering low settlement offers that keep you trapped rather than helping you back on your feet.
We have several personal injury lawyers that have personally worked with clients like you that insurance adjustors have tried to take advantage of. They have tremendous knowledge and experience with car accident legalities and would be happy to answer any questions you have.
If you would like to ask general questions or schedule a free consultation so we can hear your unique personal injury claim, call our team at (334).269.3230. A personal injury attorney will be glad to speak with you.