How to Respond to Car Insurance Lowball Settlement Offers

Accepting the insurance company’s first offer, paying bills, and moving on may be tempting after a car accident in Alabama. After all, you are in a vulnerable financial position. However, accepting an early lowball offer from an auto insurer could be a costly mistake. The key to responding to a lowball settlement offer is to remain calm and get help from a personal injury lawyer at Gartlan Injury Law.

A significant car accident can be life-changing both physically and financially. However, rushing into settlement negotiations and accepting an initial offer is seldom in your best interest. It is vital to stay calm, process the offer carefully, and review all your legal options before accepting anything from an insurer and signing away your legal rights. Don’t let the car insurance company get away with undervaluing your claim.

At Gartlan Injury Law, our legal team has the resources and experience to handle the insurance settlement process for you so you won’t fall prey to lowball settlement offers after a car accident. We have a track record of helping people secure maximum compensation in car accident claims. For example, we secured a confidential settlement for the insurance policy’s limit for a Dothan man who suffered head trauma and lost a loved one in a car accident.

Contact our Alabama car accident attorney now to discuss your insurance claim and how we can help maximize your recovery.

Why Do Auto Insurance Companies Offer Lowball Settlements?

Insurance companies are powerful, profit-driven businesses. They feel obligated to generate massive profits for shareholders and big paychecks for top executives. Maximizing profits means it is in the company’s best interest to quickly and efficiently move car accident claims through the settlement process. It also means offering accident victims low settlements, saving them more money.

Insurers are counting on you being in a vulnerable position, both physically and financially. The more desperate a person is to pay their medical bills and focus on recovery, the lower the settlement offer an insurance adjuster thinks they might get away with. Some companies even use aggressive, strong-arm tactics to intimidate individuals into accepting less than the fair value of their claims. The company saves money, and your claim is off the table. Don’t let them get away with it.

Do I Have to Accept the Insurance Company’s Initial Offer?

You may feel immense pressure from an insurer to accept their initial offer. However, you are under no obligation to accept an offer without carefully considering your options and reviewing the contents of the settlement agreement. You have the right to negotiate with an insurer and do not need to accept the first offer they present. Negotiating for a more significant settlement with an insurance company is typically in your best interest. An experienced car accident attorney at Gartlan Injury Law is ready to fight for what’s best for you.

Should I Accept an Offer If I Am Still Recovering from the Accident?

It is rarely in your best interest to accept a settlement offer when you are still recovering from the aftermath of a significant accident. The problem is that most accident victims need cash to cover their medical expenses and lost income. When their financial stability is in jeopardy, it is more tempting to accept a first offer because it helps solve a person’s most immediate financial needs, especially if they cannot work and aren’t bringing in a paycheck.

One of the most significant issues with accepting an offer while you are still undergoing medical treatment and recovering is that you may not know the total value of your claim. The proposed settlement may cover your medical expenses, but what happens tomorrow when you need rehabilitation or physical therapy services? The check may not cover your additional medical needs because you did not factor those needs into the value of your claim.

What Steps Should I Take After a Low Settlement Offer?

After receiving a settlement offer from an insurance company, take the time to evaluate the offer and consider the following:

• Engage an attorney from Gartlan Injury Law so we can analyze the offer and determine what other losses your settlement should cover.
• Evaluate the offer logically by setting aside any money worries.
• Carefully read the entire offer.
• Ask questions if the terms of the offer are confusing or unclear.
• Calculate the actual value of your claim by reviewing all your accident-related expenses and bills.
• Wait until you recover before going into settlement negotiations.
• Be mindful of insurance company deadlines.
• Make a counteroffer.

When you work with an experienced Alabama accident attorney at Gartlan Injury Law, you are putting yourself in the best position to seek maximum compensation for your injuries and related losses. Having our attorney working on your claim takes the stress and burden of negotiating with an insurer from your shoulders. The only thing you need to focus on is recovering from the accident.

To find out more about what it’s like to work with our law firm, check out testimonials from our previous clients, like Helen, who wrote, “Mr. Gartlan is a great attorney. Answered all my questions. Was always very easy to get in touch with. He also kept me informed of everything that was going on and wanted to make sure my case was closed with the best possible outcome for me and my daughter. I highly recommend him if you ever need an attorney after an accident!”

Should All Communication with the Insurance Company Be in Writing?

When you communicate with an insurer in writing, you protect yourself and your position. It allows you to keep a paper trail of all correspondence between you and the insurance adjuster. Another benefit of keeping all communication in writing is that it gives you time to think and consider your position. In the heat of the moment, it is easy to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. That can lead to discrepancies and inaccuracies in the details of your claim that an insurance company can exploit.

The best advice is to hire our car accident attorney and let us handle all communications with the insurance company for you.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help Me Negotiate a Better Settlement?

Our skilled car accident attorney knows how to combat the aggressive tactics many insurers use to get vulnerable accident victims to settle for less than they deserve. How can our car accident lawyer help you negotiate a better settlement? We can:

• Investigate the cause of the accident
• Collect and preserve vital evidence
• Build a solid compensation claim
• Manage communication between you and the insurer
• Aggressively negotiate for maximum compensation
• Issue a response letter
• Prepare a case for trial when necessary

Working with our attorney can put you in the best position to achieve a fair settlement in your car accident insurance claim.

Contact an Alabama Car Accident Lawyer

Don’t feel discouraged by a lowball insurance settlement offer. Discuss your situation with an experienced Alabama personal injury lawyer at Gartlan Injury Law. We want to help you seek the compensation you need to rebuild your life after a car crash.

Contact our office today for a free initial consultation about your car accident claim.

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