Claimants that understand how their claim might be handled by the insurance company stand a better chance for getting fair terms, when settling with that same insurer.
How does the insurance adjuster approach a claimant’s effort to settle an accident-linked dispute?
All adjusters realize that their supervisor excepts them to achieve 2 goals. Each of them is supposed to minimize the cost to the company for coverage of a the claimed damages. By the same token, each of them is supposed to manage the amount of risk that the company could have to undertake, if the negotiations failed.
Personal Injury Lawyer In Monterey Park knows that adjusters do their best to satisfy the claimant or plaintiff, without promising a large payout. If a claimant or plaintiff has refused an offered payout, the insurance company could have to face that same opposing party in a courtroom. That would invite the introduction of risks, due to uncertainties about the jury’s verdict.
If I have submitted a claim, how should I deal with an unacceptable offer?
Make it clear to the insurance company that you refuse to accept their offer. If you have hired a lawyer, then that member of the legal community should know how to compose an effective letter, so that the insurance company has written proof of your refusal.
Demand an explanation for the ridiculously low bid. Ask for guidance, regarding how you could get the insurance company to increase the size of its earlier offer. Never suggest that you might drop your demand. Instead indicate your readiness to file a lawsuit, if you cannot get a decent bid from the adjuster.
If I have chosen to retain an attorney, what are my rights? Do I have the right to negotiate a fee with that same attorney?
All personal injury lawyers should respect a client’s right to try negotiating the size of a hired lawyer’s fee. Of course, no attorney would promise to go along with any fee that a potential client has suggested.
A lawyer’s readiness to go along with a client’s suggested fee would depend on 2 different aspects of the same client’s case. Has that potential client managed to collect a suitable amount of quality evidence? The lawyer’s workload increases, in cases where clients have failed to collect much in the way of evidence.
The other aspect would relate to questions of liability. Has the identity of the liable party been clearly established? If it has, and if the victim/client has assembled a nice collection of evidence, then the consulted attorney should be willing to negotiate a reasonable fee.
During those negotiations, clients’ concerns ought to aid discovery of the amount of work that will face the consulted members of the legal community.