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The Role of Insurance Companies in Personal Injury Cases and How to Handle Negotiations with Them

A personal injury claim is perhaps one of the most common types of insurance claim in the country. Whether you have sustained injuries due to someone else’s fault or someone else is claiming that you injured them, you might think that your insurer will take care of your settlement and recovery. Although insurance companies do have an important role to play in personal injury cases, they often fail to resolve the entire issue all alone.

The steps taken by you during the insurance investigation process and the kind of information you share with the insurance companies involved in your case might impact the outcome of the personal injury claim. For this reason, it is crucial to involve a personal injury lawyer in Clermont, Florida to deal with the insurance companies.

The Insurance Investigation Process

In order to settle your personal injury claim, your insurer as well as the other party’s insurer typically carry out their own investigation.

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● Filing the Claim:

If you or someone else has been injured in an accident, the parties involved will require reaching out to their respective insurers to file a personal injury claim. This will trigger the insurance companies to begin an investigation so as to find who’s at fault, how much the insurance plan will cover, and how much the victim is owed. Note that at this point, uttering anything wrong in front of insurance company representatives may impact how much you would be able to obtain in damages – or how much you would need to pay out.

● The Initial Call:

Once the claim is filed, you will be aligned with an insurance claim adjuster by the insurance company involved. The adjuster will begin collecting key information as part of the insurance investigation process. Since the adjuster works for the insurer, they are always keen on protecting the bottom line of the company. They may not act in your best interest because they may want you to settle for less than what you truly deserve. Hence, you should be mindful of the kind of information you share with the adjuster. Do not accept any fault or reveal any information that might reflect your fault, since doing so may impact the outcome of your claim. The adjuster typically requests copies of police reports, medical records, and other documents relevant to your case. A skilled Clermont personal injury attorney may offer expert advice on how to answer the insurance adjuster’s questions or the kind of evidence you can provide – or they may even consider dealing with the insurance company directly on your behalf.

● The Settlement Offer:

If the investigation reveals that your injuries were the result of the other party’s fault or negligence, the insurer might offer you a settlement amount. To accept the same, you may require signing documents, comprising the agreement. Once you agree to the terms and conditions of the mutually agreed-upon settlement and sign the documents, you lose your rights to make any claims related to that accident in the future. So, if you anticipate future medical issues stemming from the injuries you sustained, you should not agree to a settlement amount early on in the claims process as doing so would release the other party at fault from future liability. Before you accept a settlement offer from the insurer, consider all types of losses incurred, including injuries, lost income, medical expenses, property damage, and the pain due to the accident. Your insurer may want the other party or their insurance company to cover some of the expenses paid by them on your behalf while pursuing the personal injury claim. Determining the right amount of compensation you truly deserve can be extremely tough. This is where an experienced personal injury lawyer in Clermont, Florida comes to your rescue.

How to Handle Negotiations with Insurance Companies

Negotiating with the insurer can be time-consuming and nerve-racking. In general, insurance companies are inherently quite good at negotiations and are accompanied by a team of legal experts that aid in limiting their possible payout. In order to level the playing field, it is crucial that you too have a skilled legal professional by your side who has the experience handling such negotiations and knows how to successfully fight for your rights.

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Find here how MANGAL, PLLC personal injury lawyer negotiates a settlement with insurance companies and what you can expect from your personal injury claim.

Covering the Appropriate Subjects

Complainants are generally unprepared for one key aspect of insurance company negotiations: how many areas the settlement negotiation would cover. The adjuster assigned to your claim by the insurance company can legally question you as well as dispute the facts mentioned in your claim, which may lower your settlement amount.

However, your experienced personal injury lawyer will prepare in advance for the settlement negotiation while covering all the possible areas, including the policy, the party at fault, the severity of your injuries, and the treatment you have received so far. A skilled personal injury attorney will discuss these areas and will undermine the insurance adjuster’s attempt to lowball your settlement.

Practicing Patience and Persistence

A common tactic employed by insurance companies to limit your compensation is to halt your claim process and stretch the negotiation process unnecessarily, so that you become frustrated and impatient, and accept the very first settlement offered by them. The advantage of having an experienced personal injury attorney to handle your claim is that they can show patience and persistence during the negotiation process.

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A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer will continue to negotiate with the insurer’s adjuster until you get an appropriate settlement offer. Plus, your attorney will be persistent in ensuring that your insurance company keeps all the promises, mentioned in the policy document so that you finally get what you deserve.

Staying Organized

Just like a lawsuit, an insurance claim settlement needs substantial evidence to prove your point so that you receive the maximum settlement amount possible. However, if you haven’t negotiated with an insurance adjuster ever before, you may find it difficult to gather evidence and keep it organized, or to understand what you need to prioritize.

The personal injury attorneys at MANGAL, PLLC are very much aware of the kind of evidence required for a winning negotiation. Your lawyer will not only gather the required evidence but will also present it to the adjuster during the negotiation phase. This will strengthen your claim and you will be more likely to receive the settlement you deserve.

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