Your Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney Explains the Low Offers
When you work with your Philadelphia car accident attorney on your motor vehicle accident case, your lawyer will first work to determine what the expected range should be for any settlement you might recover. After determining the range, your lawyer will likely ask you what the bottom-dollar amount you are willing to accept is. Your car accident lawyer in Philadelphia will then likely send a demand letter to the insurance company for the at-fault driver asking for the top dollar amount in the range they have determined for your case.
When an Insurance Company Responds with A Ridiculously Low Amount
In some cases, the insurance company will respond with an offer that is so low that it is outlandish. This is a tactic that may be used by insurance carriers for one of several different reasons. The adjuster may have determined that your initial demand was ridiculously high and may be trying to shock you and your car accident lawyer in Philadelphia by responding in kind. Thus, your attorney is likely to complete a new case valuation to determine if there are previously unaddressed factors warranting a reduction in your demand. If there are, your lawyer may meet with you to discuss your case and submit a new, lower demand. In some cases, insurance companies may be extremely conservative ones. This is true for many large carriers. These companies are known for making unreasonable offers and trying to proceed through litigation in every case. If you are dealing with a company like that, your attorney may react by filing a lawsuit and litigating your case. The insurance adjuster may also simply be trying to assess both you and your attorney and trying to test your resolve by making a shocking offer in response to your demand. They may also be attempting to make you lower what you expect from your case in order to minimize the company’s ultimate losses. Finally, the adjuster may be new or may have been provided with little room to move by their superiors. How your attorney handles the various scenarios will depend on their knowledge of the company and what they learn from the adjuster. They may ask the adjuster why the offer is low and whether they are able to go higher. If the adjuster responds with good information, your lawyer may use that to reevaluate the case, If the adjuster does not and the supervisors are also not amenable to a reasonable offer, your lawyer may respond by filing a civil lawsuit. In some cases, reasonable settlements may not be reached until well into the discovery process or even until the day of trial.
Contact a Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney
To speak with a Philadelphia car accident attorney at Caiazzo Law, call us.