California personal injury victims who decide to negotiate their own claim will need a number of skills to be successful. Victims who represent themselves will need to be composed, aggressive, patient, and smart. Having these skills will be critical in receiving a fair settlement from your personal injury claim. Preparing your personal injury claim will be a vital part of the settlement process. When it is time to start negotiating your claim it is important to keep these eight steps in mind.

Do not submit your demand until after the adjuster has made his first offer. Once the adjustor has made his first offer you can demand policy limits or total your damages and submit.

Don't be humble. Ask for more money than you expect to get. This will allow room for the adjustor to negotiate you down.

Ask questions and keep a record. When talking with your adjustor ask him questions about your case. Find out how much he is allotted for each item and do the math with him. Ask how much he is paying for pain and suffering as well as other non economic damages.

Don't try to negotiate the entire deal all at once. Keep in mind that negotiations take time. The best negotiators make all their concessions in small increments. This method could result in a much higher settlement value.

Stay calm and patient. Do not seem like you are in a hurry to settle. If an offer is made do not accept or counter that offer in the same meeting. If you seem like you are in a hurry the adjustor may sense it think that you are desperate for money.

Keep your composure. The demeanor of a person can affect the outcome of a situation.

Do not seem eager to settle. California will allow you two years to settle your car accident claim.

Do not make decisions on your own. Let the adjustor know that you need to consult with a higher authority before making the final decision.

Tell him or her that you will be consulting with a spouse or attorney friend.

Good negotiations are an important part of any personal injury claim. Catastrophic injury victims are well advised to consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer before beginning their claim. The best lawyers will offer injured victims with a free consultation. Some will even offer victims a no fee guarantee. This means that if they don't win your case you don't have to pay.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a California catastrophic injury you may request a free copy of "The Seven Fatal Mistakes That Can Wreck Your California Personal Injury Claim." This book is offered at no cost to accident victims and valued at $14.99. Inside The Seven Fatal Mistakes you will find information every California accident victim should have.

A driver sustained fatal injuries in a Los Angeles car accident after he was struck by a large truck on the 710 Freeway in Commerce. CBS News reports that the fatal truck accident occurred the night of February 22, 2010 near East Slauson Avenue. The truck apparently struck the vehicle, which was stopped on or at the shoulder of the freeway. The motorist whose vehicle was struck by the big rig was fatally injured, California Highway Patrol officials said. Read More

A woman was fatally injured in a Los Angeles train accident after she was struck by a Metro Blue Line train the afternoon of February 19, 2010, the Los Angeles Times reports. Los Angeles fire officials said the fatal pedestrian accident occurred in the 1700 block of East Century Boulevard when a woman became trapped under a train. She died at the scene. Officials say the woman was trying to cross the tracks. But it's not clear exactly how or why she was hit. Read More

A woman was killed in a San Diego car accident the morning of February 19, 2010 after she was struck by a car. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the accident occurred in the Chollas View area when the woman was exiting her car and was struck by a station wagon near the intersection of 47th and Market streets. The driver of the station wagon drove away without stopping. Police describe the suspect vehicle as an older model Japanese-make station wagon with damage to the front bumper. The driver is described as a white man in his 50s with gray hair. Read More

Fred Siller, 39, sustained critical injuries in an Anaheim car accident after his motorcycle crashed into another vehicle on the 91 Freeway near Brookhurst Street, The Orange County Register reports. The major injury motorcycle crash occurred the night of February 16, 2010 on the westbound side of the freeway. California Highway Patrol officials said Siller is still listed in critical condition. An investigation is ongoing. Read More

A Los Angeles car accident involving an MTA bus resulted in serious injuries to three people including a baby, ABC News report. The accident occurred February 15, 2010 on Spring Street near the 101 Freeway, when the bus collided with a convertible. The impact pushed the car into a stoplight post. Two people in the car were taken to an area hospital in critical condition. A baby in the car was taken to the hospital and was listed in "fair condition." Officials are looking into what caused this collision. Read More

Authorities in Garden Grove have identified a woman who sustained serious injuries in an Orange County truck accident as 37-year-old Olga Quiroz. Quiroz was struck by an out-of-control tractor truck, which officials say was driven by a drunk driver. The Orange County Register states that the accident occurred the morning of February 12, 2010 in the 11000 block of Woodbury Road when the truck driver crashed into the woman's backyard and hit her. Quiroz was pinned under the truck's tire and sustained injuries to her leg. The truck driver, 44-year-old William Michael Davis, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Read More

A 26-year-old man sustained serious injuries in a San Diego car accident after he was hit by a vehicle, outside a Chula Vista restaurant. 10News reports that the incident occurred early morning on February 11, 2010 when the man, who was standing in the parking lot outside the Agave Grill, was struck down by a red, 1990s model Chevrolet Camaro. The driver fled the scene of the collision. The victim got up and went home because he felt fine at the time. But officials say several hours later he did not feel well and was taken to the hospital where it was discovered that he had sustained head injuries and internal bleeding as a result of the crash. Read More

Two victims who were killed in a San Bernardino car accident were identified by local authorities as Jose Gilbert Garcia, 42 and his 16-year-old nephew Luis Alberto Garcia. The fatal car accident occurred the morning of February 6, 2010 when their vehicle was struck by a driver who was trying to evade police officers, the Whittier Daily News reports. Police officers were chasing 26-year-old Luis Lazalde as he headed west on Orchard Street in Montclair. Lazalde's car then crashed into a Ford Contour driven by Jose Garcia. Both were pronounced dead at a local hospital. Lazalde did not suffer major injuries. Read More

A 77-year-old woman suffered life-threatening injuries in a San Francisco pedestrian accident after she was hit by a city bus while crossing the street. According to a news report in the San Francisco Examiner, the major injury collision occurred on the afternoon of February 9, 2010 at the intersection of San Bruno Avenue and Burrows Street. The woman was struck by a 9-San Bruno bus. Police say the woman seemed to have been walking in a marked crosswalk when she was struck. Read More