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

How Much Authority Do Insurance Adjusters Have?

Posted Friday, April 26, 2013 by Chris Thayer

Personal injury attorney Seattle, WAIf you try to negotiate with an insurance adjuster without a personal injury attorney in Seattle, WA, you will likely hear the excuse that the adjuster doesn’t have appropriate authority to approve a settlement in the amount you deserve.Most attorneys will tell you this is not true, and merely a negotiation tactic adjusters use to avoid paying you a fair settlement.

It is important to consult with a personal injury attorney sooner rather than later to ensure that your rights are protected. An experienced personal attorney may not know the exact amount an adjuster is authorized to pay, but he will be able to come up with a rough guess based on the adjuster’s demeanor and the strengths and weaknesses of your case.

Often, the first offer from the insurance adjuster will be less than half the amount he is authorized to pay. An adjuster’s job performance is judged, in part, on his ability to settle cases for less than this amount, so don’t expect an adjuster to truly give you his best offer.

Factors Affecting Settlement Value

There are many factors that affect the value of your claim. Your personal injury attorney in Seattle, WA will look at the specific merits of your case, but some of the more general things to consider are the following:

Most Cases Settle

As your case gets closer to trial, the defense attorney may make an offer that more closely approaches the insurer’s true bottom line. It is important that your attorney be prepared to go to court, but don’t be surprised if your case settles on the eve of trial.

In small injury cases especially, it doesn’t make much sense for the insurer to take your case to trial. Their legal costs will be higher if their attorney needs to prepare for court, and the insurer wants to guard against the outside chance that you receive a large verdict.

For a free evaluation of your claim and what to expect, contact Chris Thayer, a personal injury attorney in Seattle, WA, at (206) 340-2008.