Eye Opening Reasons to Not Negotiate Your Car Accident on Your Own

If you’ve been injured in car accidents in Las Vegas, you may be dealing with insurance companies and thinking about negotiating your own settlement for your damages. After you file a claim, the insurance company might even approach you about a settlement. However, there are some good reasons to steer clear of attempting to negotiate the compensation you receive yourself. A personal injury attorney in Las Vegas can help you to fight back and protect you against insurance companies trying to drive down your compensation.

You may be tempted to deal with your claim to save time and money, but it could be a significant mistake that costs you more in the long run. Insurance companies are not in business to pay out large sums in compensation; they are interested in reducing your compensation and maximizing their profits. This means that they may work hard to get you to accept a settlement offer that does not adequately address your losses caused by the crash. Here are some reasons that you may want to hire a personal injury lawyer to protect your interests and fight for everything you deserve.

 

Insurance adjusters are often not your friend

You may receive a call or letter from insurance company representatives while you are still recovering from the crash. An initial settlement offer may accompany this. In almost all cases, car accident victims in Las Vegas receive less in these initial offers than they would if they negotiated a settlement. In many cases, they also receive less than what they would obtain if they filed a lawsuit. Insurance companies may want to lock you down into a settlement; after you sign and agree, you lose your right to demand more compensation later down the line.

Even if the insurance adjuster seems friendly or concerned about your needs, they do not work for you. They may try to get you to make statements against your interest or ask for a recorded statement. You do not have to do these things when you are represented; you can protect yourself from this type of scrutiny. Remember, the insurance representative’s job is to help the insurance company maximize its profits and save money. It is crucial to fully understand your injuries and the type of settlement you should receive before signing on the dotted line. Insurance companies may see unrepresented car accident victims as easy pickings, so it is important to come forward with a strong position.

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Your claim may be worth more than you think

In almost all cases, insurance companies give you their lowest settlement offer first. Even if they have internally budgeted up to a higher amount for compensation on the claim, their initial offer often represents the smallest amount that they think you may be likely to accept. After all, they may expect that you plan to negotiate. Therefore, it is crucial to keep in mind that the initial offer may not truly represent what even the insurance company considers to be a fair offer.

One reason to work with an experienced personal injury attorney in Las Vegas is that you can place your trust in someone who has successfully negotiated settlements and won significant verdicts for other car accident victims. Your attorney can pursue negotiations aggressively, taking the same approach of demanding more than you expect to pressure the insurance company to stop low-balling you. Besides, you may not know how much your claim is worth, unlike an experienced personal injury attorney who has dealt with many similar cases and knows what type of compensation may begin to address your physical and mental suffering adequately.

 

Make sure you know the extent of your injuries

Again, insurance companies often want to settle your case quickly. However, this can have some serious drawbacks for victims of car accidents in Las Vegas. You may not understand the full extent of your injuries and resulting pain, suffering, and medical expenses. You may need more time away from work, even while the insurance company is sending you an offer. If you accept an initial settlement, you won’t be able to go back to the insurance company to pay for more medical bills, rehab costs, surgical fees, or lost wages. You should not accept a settlement offer until you have a better understanding of your injuries and the ensuing expenses.

Even if you need ongoing care, you can get better information about an estimate of costs by waiting until you understand your injuries more thoroughly. Of course, it is essential to file your claims within Nevada’s statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits to protect yourself.

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Aggressive negotiations may be important

Many people engage with insurance adjusters who call them on the phone and want to be pleasant, nice, and understanding. You may find yourself agreeing to statements or answering questions in ways that you do not fully understand but that the insurer later attempts to use against you to drive down your settlement. For example, you may be accustomed to minimizing your pain and suffering when talking to others. Doing this when talking to an insurance adjuster, however, can be dangerous! They can use it to try to say that your claims for pain and suffering are exaggerated.

With a personal injury lawyer on your side, your experienced attorney can handle communications with the insurer. Your lawyer knows what to say and what not to say when dealing with insurance company representatives and can protect you from this type of scrutiny. In addition, you may need to marshal evidence for your claim. The insurance company may try to shift the blame for the accident to you, in part or in full. Pursuing your claim may require a significant amount of work, including collecting medical records, interviewing witnesses, looking into surveillance footage, and potentially consulting experts. Your lawyer has the knowledge, skills, and experience to lead this kind of investigation and protect your rights successfully.

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A personal injury lawyer can help you

At The Schnitzer Law Firm, we work with you to represent your interests and protect your rights. We’re on your side, not that of the insurance companies. Jordan Schnitzer has a strong track record of aggressive representation and substantial settlements and verdicts for the accident victims he represents in Las Vegas. To find out more about how we may help you fight for the compensation you deserve, call our offices at 702-960-4050 or contact us with our online form to set up an initial consultation.