It is best to send a claim to the insurance company representing the at-fault party as soon as possible, following the accident, to ensure a positive outcome. Furthermore, many insurance companies require that a claim be sent out within 24 hours of the collision. Time is of the essence. Insurance agencies will typically follow up with a reservation of rights later, which indicates that the company is admitting to no fault but will nevertheless investigate. Once the victim has adequately recovered from the injuries sustained due to the car accident, the victim may choose to send a demand letter to the at-fault party’s insurance agency. The demand letter elaborates on the extent of damages that the victim had incurred, as well as the remedy requested. What happens after you receive a claim adjuster’s letter from the insurance company? Continue reading to learn more about the next steps of the process and how you should respond.
What To Keep In Mind When Negotiating With A Claim Adjuster
After receiving the victim’s claim, may often be referred to as a demand letter, the claim adjuster begins to conduct an investigation. The claim adjuster will interview witnesses, inspect damages, speak to property owners, scan through police reports, go through your medical records, and/or read the demand letter. In instances where the accident involves significant injuries and extensive claimed damages, the claim adjuster will visit and survey the scene of the car accident. After their investigation is completed, the claim adjuster will serve the victim with the initial settlement offer.
Like the majority of other businesses, the insurance company wants to maximize its profit. As a result, the initial offer a victim receives is most likely not the best offer possible. Oftentimes, the initial offer will be presented in a way that makes the victim feel as though the claim is only worth X amount of dollars. Unfortunately, victims within a personal injury attorney frequently accept these generally low ball offers. A rule of thumb to follow is: do not accept the initial offer that a claim adjuster’s letter presents.
How To Prepare For Counter Settlement Offers
During the initial offer, the claim adjuster may question a victim’s role in the car accident, claim that a victim was comparatively culpable, or that the injuries were not to the extent that a victim claims. While this may seem overwhelming at the time, it is best to remain calm’ review the initial settlement offer, again. From there, respond to any reasons that the claim adjuster cited in a written letter.
What To Include In A Counter Settlement Offer Response Letter
The victim’s response letter should reinforce the assertions and requests you made in the victim’s initial demand letter. To do so, the victim may decide to include strong evidence, such as:
- Medical records
- Medical evaluations
- Any relevant and comparable cases
- Accident reports
- Witness testimonies
To reemphasize, the response letter should clearly state that the victim does not accept the initial settlement offer, followed by reason as to why the initial settlement offer was not appropriate. Additionally, the response letter should include the demanded higher settlement offer.
Car accidents and the recovery process are stressful events. Find out more here, getinjuryanswers.com, on how an injury attorney can help alleviate your worries and make you whole again.
