There may be room to negotiate a higher settlement from insurance after an accident in New York. For help on this front, involve our lawyers early on in your case. Not only may we negotiate a better insurance settlement, but we can also help you file a lawsuit for more compensation.
To have more leverage during settlement negotiations, document virtually everything connected to the accident. That includes taking pictures at the scene, calling 911 and getting a police report, documenting your injuries, and keeping track of all correspondence with the insurance company. You should also know your claim’s value so you don’t accept the first settlement offer, which may leave too much of your damages uncovered.
The Carrion Law Firm can assess your case for free when you call our New York personal injury lawyers today at (718) 841-0083.
How Can I Negotiate a Higher Settlement with My Insurance in New York?
Negotiating higher insurance settlements isn’t easy, and you can turn to our lawyers for help answering proposals, documenting correspondence, and calculating your claim’s value.
Contact Our Lawyers
For help with every aspect of the recovery process, contact our lawyers after an injury in New York. Dealing with insurance companies is challenging, even if it is your own personal injury protection insurance after a motor vehicle accident. Let our lawyers handle communicating with the insurance company, reviewing settlement offers, and negotiating larger amounts so you can focus on your physical well-being.
Avoid interacting with insurance companies without our personal injury lawyers. You might unintentionally misspeak and say something that jeopardizes your recovery, and we can help prevent this when handling your accident case in New York.
Document Everything
Documenting everything related to an accident can help us negotiate a higher settlement. Give us any photos you took right after an accident, including pictures of your injuries. Tell us if you called 911, and we can get the police report for the event.
You must also document your injuries. Don’t delay seeking medical treatment if you’re injured. Go to the hospital if you’re in pain or visibly injured, and get your injuries diagnosed.
Continue documenting your injuries. Insurance companies like to see consistent proof of an injury and its ongoing impact. If you stop getting treatment or miss doctor appointments, the insurance company might keep settlement offers low.
We will also document all communications and correspondence with the insurance company.
Know Your Claim’s Value
If you don’t know your claim’s value, you might think the first insurance settlement offer is fine to accept. Knowing how much your damages are worth gives you leverage while negotiating. We know what you deserve, so we also know what settlement offers should be immediately rejected.
Trust us to calculate your damages and assert them through settlement negotiations with an insurance company. We will base your claim’s value on the damages you have incurred, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.
Don’t Accept the First Offer
As a general rule, you should not accept the first settlement offer you get after an accident. Insurance companies often send low settlements at first. If you were to accept a low settlement, your claim would end, leaving you without enough compensation.
There is typically much more room for negotiation after insurance companies send their first settlement proposals, so don’t be discouraged by the initial offer, and let our lawyers start negotiating.
Support Counteroffers with Evidence
We negotiate higher settlements with insurance companies by sending counteroffers. These offers are backed up with evidence, like proof of your medical expenses and injuries. You can rely on our lawyer to promptly respond to unfavorable settlement offers with counteroffers and continue fighting for your fair compensation. Without supporting evidence, insurance companies might ignore counteroffers and not increase settlements.
Stay Patient
Negotiating settlements with insurance companies can take time. It’s important to stay patient and trust that our lawyers are working towards a good settlement. While accepting a lower settlement might end your claim faster, it may also leave you responsible for covering some medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
Being patient during settlement negotiations is important. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should wait indefinitely for an insurance company make a better offer. Our lawyers can help you decide when it’s time to stop negotiating a settlement and instead litigate a case in court.
What if I Can’t Negotiate a Higher Insurance Settlement in New York?
When insurance companies don’t offer good enough settlements, our lawyers can help victims file lawsuits in New York. A personal injury claim may yield more compensation than an insurance settlement, and our attorneys can explain why after taking on your case.
If you need more compensation after a car crash and your personal injury protection insurance isn’t enough, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. According to I.S.C. Law § 5104, motor vehicle accident lawsuits are only allowed when victims sustain “serious injuries” or incur a “basic economic loss,” meaning their medical damages and lost wages exceed $50,000
Personal injury protection insurance doesn’t compensate victims for non-economic damages. You cannot get these damages from a settlement with your personal injury protection coverage, but you can by filing a lawsuit.
Let us identify the driver who injured you and hold them responsible. If you are hurt in another personal injury incident, you may be able to sue and get more compensation without meeting New York’s serious injury threshold.
We may also settle your lawsuit, but not after negotiating a large sum that covers all damages, economic and non-economic. If the lawsuit does not settle, we can take it to trial and prove the defendant’s fault in court.
Call Our New York Injury Attorneys for Help Now
The Carrion Law Firm’s Queens, NY personal injury lawyers can review your case for free, so call (718) 841-0083 today.