Shortly after filing a private injury claim for an injury you suffered when you slipped and fell near a neighbor’s swimming pool, you receive a phone call from your neighbor’s insurance company offering to cut you a check and have it in the mail the next day. Should you accept the insurance company’s speedy and generous offer?
Probably not.
While insurance companies are made up of mostly good, honest, hardworking people, these companies are in the business of saving and making money. They are not in the business of giving people breaks or doing people favors.
And as a result their offers, which insurance companies almost always present as a final offer — even when it is their first offer — are usually too low.
In order to have a chance of receiving a fair settlement, you probably must play a little hardball. Which means that you need to demonstrate to the insurance company that you know what constitutes just compensation for your injury. You also need to show that you have the ability and tenacity to go to court if necessary.
So instead of accepting that first offer from an insurance company, you should hire a lawyer and begin the process of negotiating for a fair settlement. And if necessary, keep in mind that you can pursue the matter further through litigation. So you need a strong and experienced Maryland personal injury attorney who understands how to get you the fair compensation you deserve for your damages.
