How to Set Yourself Up for a Successful Mediation
Preparing for and participating in mediation is a stressful experience for all parties. Your client may feel overwhelmed by the process and is looking to you for guidance while you are trying to focus on building a strong case. There is no better way to demonstrate a thorough, well-prepared approach to your client than to involve a trusted settlement consultant.
Here are three ways your settlement consultant can be a valuable resource for you and your client during mediation:
- Advocate for the claimant’s best interests: A defense broker’s ultimate job is to secure a settlement that works in the defendant’s favor. Naturally, relying on a defense broker is rarely a strategy that benefits your client. Instead, a settlement consultant can help determine the full value of the settlement, factoring in variables such as inflation, rated ages, and your injured client’s life care plan. This approach helps create a stronger argument for the appropriate settlement recovery.
- Set realistic expectations: Claimants sometimes 1) anticipate a much larger recovery than what is possible and/or 2) believe that the settlement proceeds will stretch much further than they actually will. Your settlement consultant will help break down the numbers for your client and will provide education on all available settlement options. By engaging the settlement consultant in advance of mediation, the consultant will have time to dig even deeper into your client’s needs and goals, helping to build a plan that meets your client’s expectations.
- Ensure all necessary language has been included in the settlement agreement: If your client wants to place funds in a structured settlement annuity, or if you want to structure your attorney fees, the appropriate language must be included in the settlement agreement. The settlement consultant will ensure that the appropriate settlement documentation and disclaimers have been included and signed.
Our experienced consultants are ready to help. To set your next mediation up for success, contact Sage Settlement Consulting today.