The “triple the medical bills” shortcut is usually toward the high end of what you might expect to receive as pain and suffering compensation. You can get a good idea of whether you and the insurance company are in the same ballpark by examining how close their initial offer is to this figure. If the insurance company offers you triple the medical bills right away, you may be able to negotiate a more favorable settlement. If the offer seems outrageously low, use the items from your list to get a more favorable offer.
Don’t expect to retire off of a minor injury
If an insurance company paid the limit on every injury claim, insurance premiums (including yours) would be quite high. At the same time, your injury is more than a series of medical bills. It is the significant interruption of a valuable life. With this in mind you should recognize that the object of an injury settlement is to compensate you for your loss, not to purchase a villa in Tuscany.
Don’t be afraid to hire an attorney after your initial meeting with the insurance company.
Sometimes, you will get the feeling that the insurance company is making you an insultingly low offer. Other times, you will just feel like you are in over your head. If this happens, don’t hesitate to seek legal help if you think you need it. Your attorney will probably be a bit upset if you signed an all-encompassing medical release. However, in this case, you can usually revoke what you have signed.
At the same time, do not use the threat of an attorney to try to get more settlement money unless you are really going to do it. The minute you say the word attorney, insurance claim representatives must become cautious. They cannot attempt to talk you out of hiring an attorney. They may raise the amount of their settlement offer, but they may also immediately break off the meeting.