Strategies Virginia Injury Lawyers Use to Challenge Low Settlement Offers

In many cases, if you are injured by another party, you can file an insurance claim against a policy held by that party to get compensation for your harm. Most drivers are aware of this option in car accidents, but Virginia injury lawyers will tell you it applies to many other types of accidents.

When dealing with the insurance company, you expect the process to go smoothly. If things go right, you receive medical treatment and the insurance company pays your bills. It also pays any bills for other expenses or losses associated with your injury.

But what can you do if you have received several thousands of dollars of medical care and the insurance company only offers you a few hundred dollars? One option is to hire a personal injury lawyer. They have the experience to challenge low settlement offers from insurance companies.

Virginia Injury Lawyers Gather Strong Evidence to Support the True Value of Your Case

One of the common reasons that insurance companies get away with making low settlement offers is that they often require you to provide them with evidence of the value of your case. If you leave out some important evidence, the insurance company can plausibly claim that it didn’t know your claim included that expense.

This can be frustrating when you are recovering from a serious injury. It is hard to collect evidence when you are stuck in a hospital bed or barely mobile in your home.

An experienced personal injury lawyer can resolve this dilemma. They will act as your eyes, ears, and hands, gathering and preserving evidence that supports your claim.

Personal Injury Lawyers Use Medical Records and Expert Testimony to Prove Damages

The most important evidence in many insurance claims is medical records. These records can prove the severity of your injury and that it occurred when you claimed it did. Otherwise, the insurance company can refuse to compensate you for medical treatment.

Furthermore, it is easy to lose track of medical bills. Frustratingly, when hospitals send you medical bills, they often come in multiple parts. You might receive a bill for hospital services one day and then another bill for the doctor a week later. Pharmaceutical services could also be separated into a third bill.

Experienced injury lawyers are familiar with the intricacies of medical billing and know how to get all medical bills. This prevents the insurance company from only paying for a fraction of them.

Finally, for complex cases, you may need an expert to testify about how your injury will progress and what treatment it will require. This is common when an injury requires extensive medical care that can last years or decades. Personal injury lawyers in Virginia have fostered relationships with experts to make getting this testimony easy.

Experienced Injury Lawyers Will Consider Litigation When Insurance Companies Insist on Making Poor Settlement Offers

Another benefit of hiring a personal injury lawyer is that it is an implicit threat that you are willing to file a lawsuit if necessary. Many insurance companies will be more cooperative and make better settlement offers just to avoid the chance of going to trial.

When choosing a Virginia personal injury attorney, you should look for lawyers who have plenty of success in the courtroom. The insurance company will be much more willing to negotiate if it knows your lawyer has a record of winning trials.

FAQ

When Should I Contact a Virginia Injury Attorney After an Accident?

The best time to contact a personal injury lawyer in Virginia is as soon as you are injured. Evidence can disappear in a heartbeat if there isn’t someone around to preserve it. An eyewitness may forget what they saw days or even hours later. Bills could be lost in a pile of red tape if someone isn’t around to store them safely.

Additionally, your lawyer will have a much harder time challenging a low settlement offer if they weren’t involved with the claim from day one.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Virginia?

You can’t afford to wait indefinitely to file a personal injury lawsuit in Virginia. State law only allows you two years from the date of your injury to start a lawsuit. If that deadline has passed, you have almost no legal way to sue an insurance company or responsible party.

Furthermore, this deadline also affects your insurance claims. Since you can’t sue once the deadline has passed, the insurance company has no reason to pay you after that.

Are There Any Options if the Time Limit to File a Lawsuit Has Run Out?

If the time limit has passed, you may still be able to sue in some rare circumstances. If a defendant has taken active steps to obstruct you from suing them, the courts may grant you additional time to file a lawsuit.

How can a defendant prevent you from suing? Common tactics are declaring bankruptcy or fleeing the state so you can’t serve them with a lawsuit. An experienced personal injury lawyer can explain your options and how to pursue them in these circumstances.

Contact Our Experienced Virginia Injury Lawyers Today

Were you seriously injured due to the negligent actions of another party in Virginia? If so, you may be eligible to file an insurance claim to get compensation for that harm.

Don’t trust the insurance companies to act in your best interests. Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Commonwealth Law Group to learn how our legal team can help you get a fair settlement.