Being involved in a personal injury case is definitely overwhelming. However, once it’s all through and you’ve recovered, you might want to start considering getting that compensation from the insurance company that you are legally entitled to. With this in mind, you’d be interested to know that the best way to do so in Ontario would be for you to engage in transparent negotiations. This is due to the fact that using the services of the court is particularly daunting. Courts in Ontario are flooded with work and it takes around 2 years to get a hearing. That’s right – two years to get a simple hearing and you have no idea how much is it going to take from then on.
Instead, you should start working on your negotiation strategy. It’s really important to determine whether you got the upper hand or not. This is going to determine the way you approach the negotiation table with the adjuster. Let’s see how it goes either way.
You have solid grounds for your claim
You’ve done your homework – all of the information is gathered, all the proof is there, everything is in line, you have the legal merit behind you and you are ready to go. This is the best possible situation you can be in and you should take advantage of it. Put your insurance company over a barrel and make sure that they realize it. Be aggressive; ask for the entire amount without hesitating. Decline everything that’s lower than what you are entitled to unless you are in need of quick cash. In that case, make sure to determine the authority of the adjuster and work with it.
Your insurance company has the upper hand
You don’t have everything it takes to make a stellar case in court and you are worried about how much cash you can get. The first thing to do is to hire a reputable personal injury lawyer with a backbone who’s not going to tolerate being pushed around. This is absolutely important if you want to have any chance of getting proper compensation. There’s nothing worse than being at a disadvantage and your adjuster realizing it. He’s going to use this to his advantage and make sure that he makes the most profit out of your case. Of course, you also have a move – threaten lawsuit.
Insurance companies do not prefer going to court. While the case is pending, the amount of money that’s being debated can’t be reported as profit as the outcome of the case is not determined. This is your hidden play. Don’t be afraid of the court – use it to your advantage whenever you have to but be careful.
