You might be correct that they would try to cut a deal. However, I don’t think United “knows they screwed up.” They attempted to push a ticket over to DL — it failed. It happens sometimes during iRROPS. This isn’t a case like a couple of others reported recently where a rogue agent said “we’ll reimburse you.” As nearly as I can tell, OP simply got frustrated and decided unilaterally to follow this course of action. And while it might cost more than $1600 to engage a local lawyer, they don’t need a lawyer. They probably have a designated employee that they send to handle cases like this — JAXPax has said that was his role earlier in his career at another carrier. Furthermore, it’s less about the $1600 than it is the precedent they’d set that anyone who felt they were wronged by UA could expect to go to small-claims court and receive a nuisance settlement. Sometimes you need to stand up for yourself to avoid being marked as an easy target.