Factors That May Decrease the Value of a Claim

While the Manchester personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC are used to being asked how much a client’s claim may be worth, the answer depends on a variety of factors. Many of these factors revolve around how a claims adjuster views a particular case.

Previous Claims Experience

The Manchester personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC can explain that having prior claims and/or preexisting injuries can impact the value of your claim. It is important that you provide you attorney with any information regarding prior claims or injuries so that he or she can work with you to determine which damages are related to the current claim. In some instances a dormant condition is exacerbated or aggravated by a new injury, and you should be entitled to compensation for this as a part of the damages suffered.

Responsibility on the Part of the Claimant

The Manchester personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC can explain that a common insurance adjuster tactic is to attempt to blame the claimant for the accident or damages after the fact. They can sometimes be creative in their claims. For example, they may say that the claimant is responsible for not having taken sufficient steps to avoid an accident, even when the other person is clearly at fault. Likewise, if the claimant did not immediately seek medical attention this can be used to argue that the individual was not really injured and/or suffered an unrelated injury at a later date. The Manchester personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC may warn the claimant that the claims adjuster might claim that the claimant did not quickly and efficiently mitigate his or her damages. If the claimant is found to have aggravated his or her own medical conditions, the claims adjuster may offer little or nothing for the medical portion of the claim.

Premiums

Another way that a claims adjuster may decrease the potential value of a settlement figure is by claiming that the claimant’s premiums will go up if the settlement is not low. The claimant may agree to a lower settlement in order to save money in the long run.

Contact Manchester Personal Injury Lawyers

If you would like more information on factors that can impact the value of your claim, contact the Manchester personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC by calling 603-624-7200.