The bodily injury claim settlement process is not as clear cut as some other types of insurance claims. You are claiming that someone else has caused you great bodily harm, and that they are liable for your medical bills, and all other expenses. You are asking someone else to take responsibility and make you whole from wrong that was done to you.
It does not matter who is on the other side of this claim, you cannot expect them to step up and do the right thing. You have to be prepared for the fight that may be ahead of you.
Liability and Your Bodily Injury Claim Settlement
Liability refers to the issue of who is at fault for an accident or situation that has led to bodily harm, and now your bodily injury claim settlement. Whether you were injured at work or in a car accident with a complete stranger, it is difficult to get someone else to accept the blame for bodily harm. It makes sense, considering the expense that is involved with a settlement claim of this type.
One thing to keep in mind is that you will be dealing with the other person’s insurance company, more than you are dealing with them personally. The insurance company does not want to pay out what you deserve for your bodily injury claim settlement, because it brings their bottom line down. Fighting the liability charges is one way for them to get out of paying.
How do you handle this? You get all of the proof you can possibly find to prove that the person on the other side of the claim is completely liable for your bodily injury. The more evidence you have proving the liability, the less they may fight you on this part of the claim.
Negotiating the Bodily Injury Claim Settlement
You can go over your policy from start to finish and calculate what you think should be coming to you, but in most cases that will not be what you actually receive. The insurance company will get involved, and their figure may not look anything like your figure. It all starts with an insurance adjuster, who may or may not agree with the financial values you have placed on your bodily injury.
Even if you are generally in consensus with the figure drawn up by an adjuster, do not assume that you will end up getting that amount in your bodily injury claim settlement. The insurance company can still try to fight, since they want to pay as little as possible on your settlement.
Get Support for Your Bodily Injury Claim Settlement
You can guarantee that the insurance company has a team of lawyers on their side, but what type of support do you have? It is to your advantage to get an attorney on board as well. They will help you determine what you really deserve, and will help you get as much of that figure as possible. An attorney specializing in bodily injury claims will know what you have to do in order to prove liability and get a fair settlement in the end.
An attorney will also help you aim for a realistic figure of what you deserve. Most people think they are owed far more than they will ever get from an insurance company when filing for bodily injury claim settlement.