Settling a personal injury claim involves a lot of back and forth negotiations. You can expect to see multiple counteroffers from both yours and the defendant’s side before a final settlement amount is reached. Don’t be discouraged and don’t expect to get the first amount that you ask for. The key to successfully reaching a settlement agreement is to remain calm and professional throughout the entire process. It would be to your advantage to hire a legal representative to handle any correspondence made during settlement agreements. This will ensure that everything is played fair and that all options are evaluated.
To begin a settlement agreement in a personal injury claim you must send the defendant or his/her insurance company a demand letter. This letter is a legal representation of the request you are making for financial settlement. It should include a settlement amount as well as details regarding your case that prove why you deserve the amount you are requesting. These details should include documentation from your medical providers as well as any statements from your own insurance and outstanding bills. You can also include statements showing loss of wages and emotional injury. Speak with your lawyer regarding what exactly should be included with your initial demand letter. And remember to speak/write professionally and politely, no matter how stressed you may be.
You can expect the defendant’s insurance company to send you a counter off often much lower than your original asking price. Don’t be dismayed. This is all part of the process. Don’t let your emotions control your response letter however. Write a response letter asking for an amount slightly more than the counter offer. In this letter, instead of details of injuries, you can describe the emotional pain and hardship that you have experienced because of your injury. You don’t need to restate in numbers what the injury has cost you. You simply need to state how you feel and how this has affected your life. This is the letter where you go into detail about the things you can no longer do because of the injury. It is important that you contact the defendant’s insurance company with any questions that you may have and receive their response before drafting your next counter offer letter.
It can’t be stressed enough how important legal representation is during a personal injury claim like this. A lawyer will be able to help you traverse the waters of the legal system. They will know what exactly you need to do to file your personal injury claim successfully and they know what initial demands and counteroffers are the most fair for both parties. It is important to remember to file all of this paperwork in a timely manner so that you receive your benefits as soon as possible. Your personal injury lawyer in Collingwood will assist you through these trying times.
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