If you decide to sue a salon for hair damage, you won’t necessarily undergo the entire legal process. The judge might tell you to talk to the salon and settle everything outside the court. Both parties can make up the terms and conditions before signing them. The salon might agree to pay you a certain amount. In exchange, you will drop the lawsuit and agree to the other specified terms. While it seems like a straightforward process, it’s not. The other party might find ways to reduce the compensation, which won’t be fair to you anymore. Here’s what you should do to succeed.
Partner with a law firm
You can’t enter this battle alone. You need someone to be by your side, and it pays to have a legal team to help you succeed. If you have a legal expert, you will feel more prepared to face the other party. You will also avoid intimidation. Take your time to compare the choices and work with the best partner. Choose lawyers with years of experience dealing with hair damage claims like those at http://shireslaw.com.
Don’t speak unless told to do so
Your lawyer will do the talking on your behalf. There’s no need to speak your thoughts. You will only agree to the terms. You’re not there to defend yourself or tell the truth. The other party won’t agree to negotiation if not guilty. The goal of the conversation is to determine the amount the salon must pay in exchange for dropping the lawsuit.
Prepare to justify your claims
When you enter the negotiation room, you must have a ballpark on what you will accept. The other party will try to bring it down. Hence, it pays to start with a larger amount and meet halfway. Consider all potential expenses. The amount must be reasonable, from your medical bills to the legal fees.
Be willing to walk out the door
The negotiation is the opportunity for both sides to agree on the terms. However, you still have the upper hand. If the salon owners don’t accept your terms, you can always drag the case back into the court. Hence, you shouldn’t hesitate to leave the table if the other party tries twisting your hands. You won’t benefit from the continued conversation. Besides, the salon has more to lose by bringing the case back to the court. Sure, there’s a chance that you might lose, but the reputation damage the salon will suffer can be hard to recover from. Therefore, making you agree to the terms is in their best interest.
Call the other party’s bluff
It’s also possible for the salon owners to threaten to leave the negotiation. If they do so, try calling their bluff. Wait until they ask you for another round of settlement. But, again, they don’t have a reason to leave since their reputation is on the line. They would rather compensate you and make you drop the case.
Stay confident
It’s easy to feel shaken when facing the people who caused the hair injuries. You will relive the trauma. You might also decide to accept whatever term to end the conversation. Despite the challenge of being in a place you don’t want to be in, you must stay focused. Try to be confident or at least appear confident. It’s easier to shake you if you look stressed or nervous.
Don’t settle for a small amount
You might think the offer is good enough to cover whatever costs you incur because of the injury. The truth is you will spend more. You might even have to stop working because of the damage. You can’t return to your job if it requires you to look a certain way. Therefore, the amount you’re getting will cover the possible compensation for the job loss. Even if it seems big, you will still suffer from financial losses. You also have to consider the legal fees. The good thing is you will find lawyers who won’t ask you to pay the fees upfront. You will only pay when you get something out of the negotiation.
Prepare yourself to go back to court
Even if you try your best to negotiate the amount to be favourable, the other party might still say no, saying it is still unreasonable for them. Hence, prepare for the possibility that you will face the judge and testify. It will be a different battle, and you will feel more shaken. Since there’s no guarantee that the negotiation will push through, prepare to meet the judge and prove your case. You will go through cross-examination and present evidence.
Be optimistic
You will go through a lot before things become favourable. You might even give up since the other party will make it challenging. However, you should be optimistic and consider what you will get from the compensation. Besides, you’re not only doing it for yourself. You also want to prevent more people from getting injured in the future. The hair salon owners have to learn a lesson from the incident. Sure, it was an accident, but several things led to it. There was a lack of training for employees. They also didn’t invest in quality equipment. Even if it’s exhausting, you should push through. You will feel satisfied when everything is over.
Talk to your lawyer and discuss how you will strategise for the negotiation. Listen to the instructions and don’t get distracted. You might have other matters that need to be dealt with, but now isn’t the time to think about them. Once the process is over, you can move forward with life. Besides, you will feel good knowing that you gave it a shot. Even if you didn’t get what you deserved, you still fought for it. You know what to do when you suffer from an injury for a different reason. You also know whom to call. Remember that as gruelling as it is, it will be better with lawyers.
