What Are my Options if I Disagree with a Personal Injury Settlement Offer?

Insurance companies are known for trying to save money by offering personal injury victims much less compensation than their claims may be worth. However, you do not have to accept the first settlement offer if you disagree with it. In fact, for an attorney, the first offer is usually just the beginning of the negotiating process.

Before you accept a settlement offer, you should strongly consider discussing it in a Free Case Review with an experienced New Jersey personal injury lawyer. The lawyers at Lynch Law Firm, PC can discuss your options if you disagree with a settlement offer. For over two decades, the attorneys at our firm have been protecting the rights of the injured throughout New Jersey and recovering compensation for their damages.

Reach out to Lynch Law Firm, PC today to learn your potential legal options.

Making a Counteroffer with Your Attorney

Receiving a lowball settlement offer from the insurance company is nothing unusual. If insurers accepted everyone’s demands, they would not be profitable businesses. The job of the insurance adjuster is to find ways to justify offering you less than what your claim may be worth.

It is important to understand that you do not have to accept the first offer from the insurance company. Insurers may try to imply that is your only option, however, it is not. The initial settlement offer is often just the beginning of negotiations.

You and your lawyer can make a counteroffer to the insurance company. In fact, your attorney and the insurance company may go back and forth a few times before the insurance company makes an offer that may be acceptable.

If this does not work, you can also choose to reject the offer and file a lawsuit. However, insurance companies usually like to avoid this, and lawsuits are costly and time-consuming. They have an incentive to try to reach an agreement to avoid a trial, especially if you are represented by a well-known attorney who has a history of going to court when a settlement cannot be reached.

Filing a Lawsuit

When settlement negotiations fail, your lawyer may advise you to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. Once the lawsuit is filed, both sides may still be able to avoid trial by going through mediation.

If mediation fails to resolve the situation, you may need to go to trial where a judge or jury will need to decide the outcome of your case. However, once you decide to accept a settlement offer you will no longer have the right to file a lawsuit for the same accident that caused your personal injury. That is why it is so important to make sure the settlement or compensation award you receive covers the full value of your damages.

Call to Set Up a Free Case Review with an Experienced Attorney

Do not let the insurance company pressure you to accept a quick settlement offer that may be worth far less than the full value of your claim. You need compensation for current and future damages, such as medical costs, lost wages from missing work and other losses.

The attorneys at the Lynch Law Firm, PC know what it takes to recover maximum compensation. Give us a call today to schedule your no-cost consultation and learn more about how we may be able to assist you. We do not get paid unless you are compensated.

Call us anytime 24/7 at (800) 518-0508 or you can fill out a free online form.