Your demand is not within the range of our evaluation of the potential jury verdict. What does this mean?

Question

I was offered an insurance settlement and I counter offered. The insurance company said, Your demand is not within the range of our evaluation of the potential jury verdict. What does this mean?

Answer 1

It means that your demand is likely unrealistic.  The adjuster has evaluated your claim, and based on his/her experience knows that any decent jury would not come close to matching your demand.  

Note the word "range" in the letter.  This means the claim was evaluated and the adjuster has a low to high settlement range.  Continue to negotiate, but you must be realistic in your demands and be willing to compromise.  Have you actually had a conversation with the adjuster?  Has he/she given you a breakdown of the evaluation? Do they have all of the supporting documentation?    

If you cannot resolve the matter, ask the adjuster if they are willing to mediate the case.  This allows you and the insurance company to presents both sides to a mediator who will attempt  to draw both sides closer to a fair settlement.  

IF you decide to file suit, you are not suing the insurance company.  You have to sue the negligent party.  They will in turn turn the matter over to the insurance company and their attorneys.

Answer 2

it means your counter offer was too high.

Answer 3

It means they think you're asking too much.

Answer 4

It means that if you sued them they are very unlikely to get a verdict equal to what you asked for.  Therefore, they reject your counter-offer.

Answer 5

You asked for to much..now you can get a lawyer and take them to court.

Answer 6

It means, they think your counter offer is higher than what a jury would award you if you took them to court - so they are rejecting the offer.  They are placing a bet that a jury would not give you your counter offer if it went all the way to court.