When you are considering an insurance claim after a vehicle accident, you should first know what your minimal compensation amount that you can accept will be. There are so many factors to consider when filing a claim. It’s important to note that insurance companies normally want to settle as quickly as possible and may contact you with an offer. The first offer is normally lower than what they can actually go so it’s important that you know up front what you must have in order to accept a settlement.

Settlement Process

The process of settlement will begin once your injury lawyer in St. John’s sends out a demand letter to the insurance company. Your letter should be able to:

• Explain why the at-fault party, that was insured is at fault for the injuries you received and/or property damage was the result
• Detail the income you lost
• Detail the medical treatment you need because of the injuries you received
• Detail the nature and the extent of the injuries you received

The letter you write should end with a demand of settlement. After your letter has been received, the insurance adjuster will respond with another offer to your demand. This offer is going to be lower than you have asked for in your demand letter. If you don’t like this offer, you will want to make a counteroffer and be willing to negotiate.

When writing your demand letter, there are a few things to consider.

#1: What is the value of your claim? You will need to be able to tell them the total amount you will need. Don’t just guess this number because once you agree, sign and accept a check you cannot get any more. Consider all the expenses you will encounter as well as:

• All your medical expenses from the past as well as the future
• The loss of wages and the earning capacity you need and depend on
• The cost to replace or repair the property that was damaged
• The expense of hiring assistance to perform tasks that you cannot do now that you are injured

Be sure to include medical records,police reports, photos, and repair estimates as well as proof of income that was lost because of the accident in your demand letter.

Awarding General Damages

General damages or non-economic damages are awarded so that you have money as compensation for any non-monetary damages in the injury case. The types of general damages you may be asking for include

Lowered quality of life

• physical and mental Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship due to wrongful death