How to Negotiate an Injury Claim with State Farm Insurance

How to File a Claim

If you are injured in a car accident or another type of personal injury incident, you may have to file a claim with State Farm if it insures the at-fault individual or entity, or if you have personal coverage through a policy with State Farm. Your claim will be assigned to a claims adjuster, who works on behalf of State Farm Insurance, and his or her job is to settle your claim with as little expenditures as possible.

Many people attempt to negotiate settlements of their claims with State Farm Insurance on their own. However, recent news reports suggest that State Farm may be particularly difficult when it comes to negotiating a fair settlement for your injuries. Nevertheless, you may increase your odds at successfully negotiating with State Farm Insurance by:

1. Communicating your settlement offer to your adjuster. Once you have a fair grasp on the cost and magnitude of your personal injury losses, you should use this information to arrive at a settlement figure that properly compensates you. You should consider all of your losses, such as medical bills, ongoing treatment costs, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Send your settlement offer to your claims adjuster and indicate what amounts you are claiming for each of your losses.

2. Expect some back and forth to occur. Except in unusual circumstances, your claim adjuster will likely reject your settlement offer at first. He or she will try to get you to agree to a settlement that is much less than the settlement offer you made. This is a common tactic used to gauge how much fight you have in you and whether your claim can be settled quickly. You should ask your adjuster to justify the amount he or she is offering.

3. Know what matters to your adjuster. As terrible as your injury may be, your adjuster likely cares very little about your personal situation. He or she is concerned most about the financial exposure of State Farm. How much they are going to have to pay to get rid of your claim is of chief importance. To that end, communicate to the adjuster all the facts that make it likelier that State Farm will have to expend considerably more money. This can include facts that would be very favorable to you at trial, such as your family situation, how much pain you suffered, and how your injuries impacted your life. Your demeanor should also demonstrate that you are not going to settle your claim for much less than it is worth.

Get Help from Skilled Dallas Personal Injury Lawyers

If you do not feel comfortable negotiating a personal injury claim, you should enlist the help of an experienced Dallas personal injury attorney. Negotiating with a claims adjuster takes patience and tenacity. You must be reasonable but not too accommodating. For those recovering after a serious personal injury incident, this can be a nerve-racking process.

At Zinda Law Group, we have helped injured clients negotiate favorable settlements with State Farm Insurance and other insurance companies. We strive to resolve your injury claim by getting you as much compensation as possible. Where a settlement is not in your best interest, we can advise you of other methods of compensation we can pursue with you.

Call us today at (800) 863-5312 for a free consultation with one of our Dallas personal injury lawyers. Meetings with attorneys by appointment only.