How your personal injury case proceeds depends largely on the insurer that covers the party who caused your injuries. Some insurers are easier to work with than others. A First Coast personal injury attorney will know which insurers will use which tactics and can help you prepare your case accordingly.

Certain insurers are known to seldom settle small-to-medium-range personal injury cases for a reasonable amount. It is usually a waste of time to continue settlement negotiations with these companies without filing a lawsuit, as they will probably only respond to litigation. Litigation and verdicts are the only things these carriers will take seriously.

If your case is a soft-tissue injury case and you don’t have substantial objective medical evidence for your injuries, or your medical bills include chiropractic treatment, expect the insurers to offer only a token amount for your pain and suffering. The claims adjuster will make sure to scrutinize everything in your file, and their settlement offer likely won’t be any higher than your medical bills and lost wages. It is usually a waste of time for your attorney to try to convince the insurance company to make a more reasonable settlement offer. Instead, your attorney may opt to go directly to a lawsuit after the initial investigation and preparation.

To some extent this depends on the reputation of your attorney as well. Attorneys who are known to settle quickly and often will receive lower settlement offers than those known to be good litigators.

If you have further questions about how to deal with your insurance company, contact First Coast personal injury attorney John Fagan for a free initial consultation.