The Dangers of Settling Your Car Crash Claim Too Early

After you get hurt by a careless driver, your situation can seem overwhelming. You have follow-up doctor’s appointments. You are missing work. You might be relying on your family or friends to help out around the house. You are getting bombarded by phone calls from insurance companies. Insurance wants a statement about what happened, and they keep asking for documentation - the police report, medical records, medical bills, proof of income and work absences. The whole time, you are in pain. There are about a million things going on when you want to rest and heal in peace. Pretty soon, you may just want this whole thing to be over with, so you are tempted to take the next settlement offer just to close this unfortunate chapter of your life. 

Doing so might be a mistake. It is important to speak with your own attorney before you consider taking a settlement offer. 

Why Should I Avoid Taking a Settlement Shortly After the Crash?

It might seem like it would be very convenient to get a quick settlement. When you are injured and getting medical bills now, it might seem like it makes sense to get a settlement now. Keep in mind, however - a quick settlement is even more convenient for the insurance company. Whether you are recovering damages from your own insurance company or the at-fault driver’s, they would not be offering these instant-cash settlements if it was not in their best interests. 

Here are a few problems with settling your case too soon: 

• Unknown damages - It can take some time to discover the true extent of your injuries. Is your wrist really going to be as good as new when the cast comes off in a few weeks so you can get back to work? Or could there be some permanent damage you do not know about yet? With head injuries, it can take even longer to discover the true extent of the damage. 
• Low offer - When you accept a settlement, you lose your right to pursue further litigation. It could later turn out that your costs related to the accident are higher than you expected. It is better to sit down with an attorney and let them help you do the math so you know what your claim is worth. 
• Time to think - You might feel like you are living in utter chaos in the aftermath of a serious accident. You may be getting overwhelmed. Insurance companies know this. Some will purposely keep calling until they effectively annoy you into taking a settlement just to end the situation. The best thing to say when they call is, “Talk to my lawyer.”
• Scare tactics - Insurance companies may use a variety of ethically questionable “scare tactics” in an effort to frighten you into taking a settlement. This may even include threatening to counter-sue or insisting that your claim would not be viable in court. Let your own legal counsel make this decision. 

Call a Nueces County Car Accident Attorney

Let our experienced Corpus Christi car accident lawyers represent you while you recover. When the insurance companies call, just say “Talk to The Edwards Law Firm.” Call us at 361-698-7600 right after your accident and let us take it from there, starting with a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-settle-a-car-accident-claim-4174365