After a crash, car accident victims rely on settlements to pay medical bills and keep themselves afloat if they must take time off work to recover. However, insurance companies are infamous for lowballing victims in car accident cases, and your offer may not be high enough to cover your damages.
If the insurance company offered you a lowball amount, here’s what to know from a Texas motor vehicle accident attorney.
What to Do If Your Settlement Offer Is Too Low
If the insurance company offers you a pitifully low settlement, the good news is that you don’t have to accept it. You can fight for more, but you’ll have to proceed carefully if you choose to do so. Here’s what you should do.
Stay Calm When Talking With the Insurance Adjuster
Screaming and cursing at the insurance adjuster over a lowball settlement offer is tempting. You’re so hurt that you can’t work, bills are piling up, and your rent is due next week. This pathetic settlement offer is simply the last straw.
Keep your temper in check, however much you want to let loose on the adjuster. Raging at them will do nothing to help your case. If you can’t stay calm when speaking with the adjuster, it may be smart to have a Texas motor vehicle accident attorney do the talking instead.
Gather Proof of Your Damages
The smartest way to boost your settlement offer is to collect evidence of your damages. With proof, it’s much harder for insurance adjusters to downplay your injuries.
Proof can include:
- The police report for your car wreck
- Copies of your medical bills
- Medical scans, such as X-rays and MRIs, that show your injuries
- Pictures and video footage of the accident scene, including property damage to your car
- Documentation of lost wages from your employer
Ask How the Adjuster Calculates Your Offer
Some insurance companies use shady calculations to come up with your settlement offer. If your offer is too low, ask the adjuster how they came up with that figure.
Many insurance adjusters will lowball you on non-economic damages. That’s because they don’t have a set dollar amount attached, unlike economic damages. Ask the adjuster which multiplier they used for non-economic damages (this multiplier ranges from 1.5 to 5).
Continue Medical Treatment
It’s tough to continue medical treatment when you’re running short on money, especially if you don’t know when a fair settlement offer will come. But you must continue your treatment plan. If you don’t, the insurance company might say you’re all better and reduce your settlement.
If you’re having trouble paying medical bills, the hospital or doctor’s office might be willing to work out a payment plan. Some may also pause collection efforts until you’ve reached a settlement.
Pre-settlement funding is another option. This funding provides a cash advance on your settlement that you can use to pay off medical bills and any other expenses.
Hire an Attorney
Hiring an attorney can greatly assist you if you believe your settlement offer is unfair. Attorneys are skilled in negotiation and know how to fight for a settlement that will cover your damages. And if negotiations fail, they’re prepared to battle the insurance company in court.
Talk to Our Texas Car Accident Lawyers Now
Negotiating for a higher settlement is possible if you don’t like your offer, but doing so can be tough without legal help. McLaurin Law, PLLC has successfully won fair settlements for clients, and we’ll fight aggressively to achieve the same result for you.
For a consultation with an experienced Texas truck accident lawyer, contact our firm today at 713-231-5903.
