A successful settlement negotiation leading to fair compensation can help relieve auto accident victims of the heavy burden of accumulated medical bills and ongoing treatment. An auto accident can be a life-altering experience, leading to shuttered dreams, broken families, and lifelong emotional distress. When an accident occurs, victims find themselves with a lot to do within a limited timeframe. These include seeking medical attention, collecting evidence, getting the contact information of witnesses, and seeking compensation from liable parties, among others. As a victim, you need to diligently carry out settlement negotiations and evaluate your auto accident claim carefully. This article discusses how an auto accident victim should approach settlement negotiations.
Before engaging in settlement negotiations with the liable parties or insurance companies, auto accident victims need to:
- Seek immediate medical attention
- Gather evidence
- Consult an experienced auto accident attorney
Seeking medical attention helps victims ensure they can address their health and safety concerns before focusing on anything else. It is through this medical attention that you can establish the extent of the injury and also create documentation for the injuries. This record will be useful when launching your auto accident claim and during settlement negotiations.
Evidence such as photos and videos of the auto accident scene provides a solid foundation for your compensation claim. Additionally, you can also collect a copy of the police report and the statements of the eyewitness. To further support your position during settlement negotiation, you need to have in place records of medical expenses and treatment details.
Consulting an experienced attorney helps you navigate the complexities of an auto accident case effectively. The attorney will guide you on the kind of evidence to collect, the witnesses to contact, and how to respond to initial offers by insurance companies, among other things. Securing legal representation in your auto accident case helps to protect your rights and also enhances your chances of getting fair compensation.
At the initial stages of settlement negotiation, auto accident victims must understand their rights and entitlements. They can do this by exploring the full scope of damages for which they can seek compensation. These damages include, but are not limited to:
- Medical expense
- Damaged properties
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
During the actual settlement negotiation process, the auto accident victims should:
1.) Maintain open and transparent communication: Victims need to serve all the parties involved in the negotiation process with honest and accurate information. The parties include their attorneys, insurance companies, and juries, among others. If it is discovered that the victim deliberately conceals or provides inaccurate information, the outcomes of settlement negotiations can be greatly compromised.
- Timely respond to inquiries and adhere to deadlines: Victims will, from time to time, be requested to provide different documentation or provide clarification on various aspects. Responding to these swiftly is a show of professionalism and enhances their credibility. This positively influences the settlement negotiation process.
- Maintain a realistic mindset: Although every auto accident victim would wish to get the maximum compensation, achieving this may not be realistic. The available evidence, the extent of injuries, and existing legal provisions dictate what the victim can get at the end of the settlement negotiation. Having realistic expectations helps reduce unnecessary disputes and shortens the duration of settlement negotiations.
- Be flexible with different settlement options: Victims need to be willing to compromise some aspects during negotiation, including accepting different settlement options. For instance, settlement can be in the form of a lump sum payment, or a structured settlement, among others. Victims’ flexibility to accept different settlement options enhances the ease of concluding the negotiation process.
In summary, settlement negotiation is a critical process that requires diligence and high-level professionalism to get the best out of it. A victim needs to approach this process with a realistic mind and with appropriate evidence to support the auto accident claim.