It is not uncommon for offers of settlement to be exchanged in the early stages of a claim. However, these early offers are usually at the lower end of compensation that you should receive. This is because at such an early stage the parties are not aware of the full extent of the injurie(s) sustained or the strengths and weaknesses of each parties case.
For this reason, all offers should be considered with your lawyer prior to acceptance. Often your lawyer will be able to get you 10 – 15 times more compensation than the defendant’s initial offer of settlement.