Mercado Kramer’s attorneys know how to make insurance companies pay up. Clients frequently come to us because they are hurt and have been offered a settlement of only a couple thousand dollars – and in the end, we settle their case for tens of thousands of dollars, or more. Other times, insurance companies refuse to make a reasonable offer to our clients until we go to court.
In certain cases, filing a lawsuit results in the insurance company paying a settlement that’s ten or twenty times more than it offered before we took the case to court. Of course, every case is different, and your potential settlement will depend on the facts and evidence. As just one example, one of our attorneys represented a gentleman with a painful back injury, and the insurance company refused to pay more than $10,000.00. We filed a lawsuit and built a strong case, and the insurance settled for $250,000! Our attorneys are confident that when we hold the insurance company’s feet to the fire, we get results.
So why don’t insurance companies just pay what’s fair in the first place? Going to court costs time and money. Wouldn’t it be cheaper and easier if they just ade a reasonable offer to people who are in pain? Maybe. But insurance companies are playing a game that is bigger than any one person. If you are injured because someone else was negligent, it’s important that you understand the game insurance companies are playing. You need to know what’s at stake when you’re considering an offer of settlement.
You should know that insurance companies have deep pockets – we’re talking billions of dollars. Insurance companies are usually for-profit companies motivated to make money for their shareholders. They can spend huge sums of money fighting against you. And for them, the costs of a case are a business expense, and, therefore, a tax write-off. They don’t mind if fighting a case gets expensive.
In contrast, any money that you or your lawyers spend fighting your case gets deducted from your total settlement offer. When Mercado Kramer’s personal injury attorneys strategize, we think not just about the total settlement offer, but how much of that offer goes directly to YOU. Did you know that the fee to file a Complaint in civil court in California is $435? And that’s just the first step in what can be a long and expensive process.
Insurance companies aren’t just considering how much they’ll spend fighting your case. They’re thinking about all the people who will come after and want to set an example by making life difficult. Insurance attorneys may try to make a case drag on forever, bury you in documents, and deploy sneaky tactics to keep you from seeking justice.
Insurance companies have spent decades – and piles of money - lobbying the government for laws that are favorable to them. Did you know that if your case does go to trial, you can’t even mention the insurance company to the jury? This means the jury thinks that the person who hurt you will have to pay you from their personal bank account. This is just one example of how the law gives insurance companies an edge in court.
Yes, insurance companies have a lot of power. Some people give up hope and never even bother to consult with a personal injury attorney. Or they accept the first lowball offer from the insurance because they think they can’t do any better. Don’t make these mistakes! That’s exactly what the insurance companies want. They want you to believe that fighting for a fair offer is too hard, and not worthwhile.
Fighting for a fair settlement is hard sometimes, but it is absolutely worthwhile with the right attorney in your corner. At Mercado Kramer, we trust that hard work and preparation pay off. Building a strong case from day one is the best way to persuade the insurance company to make you a reasonable offer. And we will guide you through your case as your partner. Even if the truth is difficult, we will tell it to you straight. You should have all the information when deciding whether to accept a settlement.