You were traveling to visit your son at Kimbell University when a driver, seemingly out of nowhere, struck the side of your car. You were pushed off the roadway and into a ditch. Your car was totaled, and you ended up in the hospital for several days.
During your time at the hospital, you had a surgery, were in significant pain and had to set up dozens of appointments for the coming months. You have a brain injury and damage to the nerves in your arm, so you may not be able to return to work. Your life has been changed, at least in the immediate future, because of that collision.
It’s important to hold the other driver responsible for harming you in a crash. They should be responsible for covering your medical care and other financial needs. You probably know to file a claim against them, but did you also know that the initial offer that the insurance company makes to you may not be enough?
Negotiation is important when working out a personal injury settlement
The reality is that your life has changed, and you may not yet know how significant a role this injury will play in it. Some people recover well from injuries like these, but others struggle to get back to normal.
While you hope that you can go back to work and get back to your normal daily life soon, that isn’t an option right now. In your personal injury claim, you should:
- Discuss the way your daily life has changed
- Talk about the kind of medical support you need
- Point out medical expenses and provide receipts
- Talk about possible future medical care that will be needed and the cost
- Provide images or videos of your injuries, so that the insurance company’s agent can see their severity
- Obtain letters from doctors discussing the injuries you’ve suffered
- Include the cost of repairs to your personal property
…and much more. There will be many documents that you’ll want to include, so it is a good idea to start sending them to your attorney as they arrive. Remember to keep a copy of any documents you send to your attorney for yourself as well.
When the insurance company makes an offer, your attorney will review it with you. If it is not fair, you can continue to negotiate for a higher settlement or take the case to court.
