If you’re in an accident involving a drunk driver who is covered by Progressive Insurance, you should have some specific information to maximize the compensation you receive. Your claim must meet precise requirements. It should be carefully assembled to avoid losing out on the money you are legally entitled to receive.
Progressive Insurance
Progressive uses adjusters trained to find every possible way to minimize the amount of money they pay you. That’s why your claim must be so carefully crafted with two main sections included before you submit it to the adjuster.
Precise Demands Including Monetary and Noneconomic Damages
When negotiating with Progressive, your demands must be clearly written and communicated. You need to carefully calculate the damages and then give a clear explanation supported by compelling evidence. Be sure to include the specific monetary costs as well as noneconomic damages. Financial losses include medical bills, the cost of therapies you may need, and lost time from work. Calculate what you incurred in the past, as well as those you expect to incur going forward.
Noneconomic damages include pain and suffering that relate to your quality of life and psychological trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. If you can’t participate in activities you love or take care of yourself and your family, then that should be part of your claim. While they don’t have a hard and fast monetary value, pain and suffering can still arrive at a monetary figure, or it may be a multiplier of the financial damages.
Stand Firm on Your Demands
Don’t back off from your initial demands, even if the Progressive adjuster tries to convince you that the claim is worth less than you requested. Remember that you can file a lawsuit if Progressive continues to refuse your claim. While it is easier for everyone to settle out of court, it still gives you a valuable negotiating position, especially where drunk driving is involved. Going to court will cost Progressive a lot of money, even if they win. If you’ve made a reasonable demand and you’ve submitted documentation that proves you would have a strong case in front of a jury, be ready to go to court if Progressive doesn’t cooperate.
Getting Help
If you’re facing a drunk driving case with Progressive, it’s in your best interests to have capable, competent counsel on your side. Contact a DUI accident lawyer in Lakeland, FL who knows the laws of your jurisdiction to help you face down the adjusters and get the compensation you’re entitled to receive.
Thanks to David & Philpot, P.L. for their insight into personal injury claims and drunk driving accidents with Progressive insurance.