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If you’ve been involved in a car accident or any other sort of incident which requires you to file a claim for monetary compensation, it’s in your best interest to avoid going to court. Not only is it risky, it’s going to take tremendous amount of time as the courts of Ontario are overly preferable. However, chances are that this process is going to go back and forth and you have to be well aware of quite a few things. It’s always advisable to hire a professional personal injury lawyer with actual experience in the matter but if you’ve decided to handle the matter yourself, below you will find a few helpful tips.
The first thing that you need to know is that the adjuster is going to make you a few offers throughout the entire procedure, unless you accept his first one, which you absolutely should not. When you send out your letter of demand and specify the amount that you want to recover, the first offer of the adjuster is going to be tremendously lower than that, you can count on it. This is the lowball offer.
Now, you shouldn’t storm out and you should take things slowly. It is best to keep your claim moving by letting him know that this is an offer which is unacceptable. It has nothing to do with the actual damages that are subjected to getting the legal compensation. Do not engage in any verbal confrontation because this will not yield any kind of results. It is best to let your lawyer handle the communication.
However,the lowball offer is likely to contain the adjuster’s authority. This is the hypothetical amount of money that he’s willing to provide you. He’s going to make some sort of a statement that he’s not authorized to go higher than a specified amount of money. He is. You should know that. There is no such thing and you should keep this in mind. The only restriction that could be imposed can derive from regulatory provisions and not from the insurance company itself.
With this in mind, you should respond in kind. Let him know, subtly, that you are not accepting this offer because the damages that you have endured and that you are entitled to recover exceed the amount. Subtly indicate that you don’t want to go to trial but you will if you have to. It is better if your personal injury lawyer handles the communication with the insurance company representatives. That will help you get the most within the limited time.
Now, there is something that should be considered here. Oftentimes people spend their savings on recoveries and they are left with no money to cover unexpected expenses as a result. If that’s the case, the decision whether or not to take a lower offer in order to spare time and handle expenses is entirely up to you.