Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Handling Personal Injury Claims in the Seattle Area and Throughout Washington Since 1995

My name is Chris Thayer and I am a personal injury attorney practicing in downtown Seattle. I handle personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims throughout the greater Seattle area, including Issaquah, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

I am here to help you.

Call for a free consultation (206) 340-2008

Negotiating With Carriers

Posted Wednesday, October 7, 2015 by Chris Thayer

Washington personal injury attorneys know that when it comes to dealing with insurance carriers, one tactic does not fit all. Some insurance carriers rely on mass marketing and a large customer base to stay profitable, which allows them to take a rather frugal approach to settling claims. Other carriers take a smaller, more regional approach, which often makes them more amenable to reasonable settlement offers. Discuss with your attorney what approach might work best for your insurer.

Carriers that are smaller and do not rely as much on advertising often are more likely to resolve cases out of court or through mediation. This can be beneficial because your attorney might be able to approach the insurer with that knowledge in mind instead of assuming they are always going to play hardball.

It is usually in your best interest to try to extract a reasonable settlement offer from the carrier instead of going through the expense and trouble of going to court. Lawsuits are expensive, time-consuming, and by no means a sure thing, no matter how good of a case you think you have. This is why larger carriers are often reticent to settle and instead prefer to take questionable claims to court – because they can afford to lose. If you are dealing with a larger national carrier, you may have to adjust your expectations as to what you will be offered.

Keep in mind that an insurance carrier that is unresponsive might not necessarily be doing so to play hardball. In some cases, adjusters from mid-size carriers are overworked or constantly behind and it may be difficult to get a timely response from them. However, if your attorney approaches them in good faith with this in mind, they may be more likely to make a reasonable offer.

Contact Washington personal injury attorneys

For more information on how settlement negotiations might go, contact Washington state personal injury lawyers. Call Chris Thayer at (866) 884-2417.