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 Strategies

Posted Thursday, August 28, 2014 by Chris Thayer

It is not unusual for insurance companies to use adjustment companies, whether they are local alt textor national, to handle claims. A Michigan personal injury lawyer can tell you that these type of adjustment companies are not only conservative when it comes to figures but they rarely are authorized to settle. However, if your counsel is given a very low settlement offer from the company, your lawyer can ask to work directly with the insurance company. If the adjustment company doesn’t allow that, a Michigan personal injury attorney can tell you that your representation can file a suit and send a letter to the insurance company explaining the situation.

The One and Only Adjusters also use another tactic in which they say that they received your settlement demand, and, in an effort to save time, they will send their best offer. They also will say that it is their only offer. Before an adjuster makes an offer, a Michigan personal injury attorney can tell you that it is a good idea for your representation to inform the adjuster that a best offer is welcomed if it matches the settlement demand. If not, your representation should bring to the adjuster’s mind that, in personal injury cases, a best and only offer is considered arbitrating in bad faith. A Michigan personal injury lawyer can explain that your representation should also tell an adjuster that you wouldn’t look at that type of offer favorably.

Lowball OfferThe last tactic used by insurance carriers is what many attorneys would consider a two-time, lowball offer. This would be, for example, an adjuster offering $6,000 after a personal injury lawyer demands $25,000, hoping for a settlement of about $15,000. The personal injury attorney then counters with a $19,000 demand and the carrier returns an offer of $6,500. A Michigan personal injury attorney will tell you the best way to handle this situation is to file a lawsuit. Making offers like that signal to a client that the adjusters are not interested in settling.

Contact a Michigan Personal Injury Attorney for AssistanceInsurance carriers use many negotiating tactics in personal injury cases. If you were involved in an accident and you need legal advice, call Chris Thayer, a Michigan personal injury lawyer, at 206- 340-2008.