The Oldest Tactic in the Book One of the oldest tactics in personal injury negotiations is the defense attorney approaching the plaintiff as a friend and asking what the bottom line number would be for settling the case. The lawyer will promise the victim that he will negotiate with the insurance company, but he will not tell them the bottom line figure that the victim wants. However, you should not fall for this strategy, and you should never ever tell the defense attorney what your bottom line figure is. Disadvantages of Revealing Your Bottom Line Number If you go ahead and divulge your bottom line