Managing Partner
There’s a lot to consider after an accident. In addition to addressing accident-related injuries and pain, most people’s top concern following an accident is money. Unfortunately, financial issues often accompany personal injuries, including high medical bills, lost time at work, and more. This often leads people to accept the first settlement offer that comes their way. And while it is true that some initial settlement offers fairly compensate personal injury victims, this is rarely the case.
Often, insurance companies make lowball offers to injury victims in an effort to quickly and easily get them to go away. With the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney, however, it is often possible to negotiate a much higher settlement amount than the insurance company initially offers. In this article, we discuss four reasons you may not want to accept your personal injury settlement right away.
#1: The Insurance Company Is Not Your Friend
Unfortunately, following an accident, the insurance company—even when it’s your own—isn’t always on your side. Insurance companies are in the business of making money, not paying out large personal injury claims. Therefore, when an insurance company makes you an initial settlement offer, it’s probably not being made with your best interests in mind.
#2: Insurance Companies Usually Begin with a Low Offer
In furtherance of the previous point, since insurance companies are out to make as much money as possible, you can almost guarantee that an initial settlement offer following a personal injury will be on the low side. The reason behind this is simple: the less money the insurance company has to pay you, the more money it keeps.
#3: Your Injuries May Be Worse Than You Think
Even if you don’t believe your injuries are serious, this may not be the case. It can take several months to determine the full extent of one’s injuries following an accident. In addition, it is possible that you may suffer complications during recovery, which may increase the severity of your injuries and associated costs. So, if you accept a personal injury settlement right away, you may miss out on the opportunity to receive full compensation for all of your injuries.
#4: The Offer Doesn’t Include Pain and Suffering
Finally, when making a settlement offer, insurance companies rarely take into account a person’s physical and emotional pain. However, under the law, you may be entitled to compensation for these issues. Therefore, instead of accepting a quick settlement offer following an accident, you should work with an experienced attorney who understands how to properly value your case.
Contact a Long Island Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve suffered injuries in New York, the distinguished law firm of Dell & Dean, PLLC, is here to help. When you come to us for assistance with your case, our experienced personal injury lawyers will aggressively pursue financial compensation on your behalf. With a long track record of success both at the negotiation table and in the courtroom, we are well-prepared to represent you regardless of the direction your case takes. Please contact us as soon as possible to arrange an initial meeting with an experienced personal injury attorney.
