The vast majority of personal injury cases end up resolving through settlement. While that can be a good thing, increasing your chances of obtaining compensation quickly, it also puts you at risk of rushing through your case and securing less than you need and deserve. Therefore, you have to be careful in how you navigate your personal injury case. With adequate preparation, understanding of the law and zealous advocacy, you can position yourself to obtain the outcome that you want.
How can you get the most out of your personal injury settlement?
There are several ways to approach your personal injury settlement negotiations. But if you want to get the most out of your settlement, then you should consider implementing the following into your negotiation process:
- Gathering evidence: This sounds obvious, but you can’t skimp on the evidence that you gather to support your claim. If you do, then it’ll be all too easy for the defense to push back during settlement negotiations and offer you less than you need and deserve. They’ll be able to point out weaknesses in your case that could leave you on edge moving forward with your case, thereby enticing you to settle your case prematurely. You want to gather strong evidence that convinces the defense that it’s in their best interests to give you what you want without taking the matter to trial.
- Diligently seeking medical care: Sure, you need to seek medical care after your accident, but you also need to secure follow up care as needed. If you don’t, then it’ll be hard to argue that you deserve compensation for ongoing treatment. Be sure you can articulate your anticipated need for additional medical care, too, as this will drive the other side to increase the amount of compensation that they offer.
- Writing in a journal: Noneconomic damages, like your pain and suffering and lost enjoyment of life, can make up a significant amount of your compensatory recovery. But proving these losses can be tricky. One way to demonstrate them is to keep a written journal of how your accident injuries have changed your life. This can paint a compelling picture that can give you a strong bargaining position during settlement negotiations.
- Accurately calculating damages: You won’t know if a settlement offer is appropriate unless you have a realistic understanding of the extent of your damages. So, before heading into settlement negotiations, be sure to carefully calculate all of your incurred expenses and plan out any anticipated losses that you expect to face.
- Securing expert opinions: The defense might think that they can beat your case if they can attack your account of the accident in question. This can stymie settlement talks. But if you have one or more experts who are prepared to testify on your behalf, whether about causation or the extent of your harm, then you’ll have more leverage to push for settlement with a higher payout.
Don’t cut corners in your personal injury case
We know that it can be stressful and time-consuming to deal with a personal injury case. Yet, you can’t take shortcuts and hope to obtain the outcome that you want. Instead, you have to embrace the process and diligently build the persuasive case needed to position yourself for success. If that’s something that you need assistance doing, then please continue to read our blog and our website to learn more about what you can do to increase your chances of winning your case, finding accountability, and recovering the compensation that you need.
