Why Consult With a Personal Injury Lawyer Before Accepting a Settlement Offer?
When you've been injured on the job or at a public location such as at a retail store, you may see that an insurance company is quick to offer you a settlement. If you have medical bills adding up and have been missing work due to your injury, you may be tempted to accept that settlement. It may also look very generous; you may not think of any reasons why you shouldn't just accept it.
Before you do that, it's good to consult with a personal injury lawyer. Note a few reasons why that is and why you should at least discuss the terms of the offer with them before accepting it.
1. The offer might not be that generous
To you, a settlement offer may seem very generous—but to a personal injury attorney, it may actually seem a bit paltry. Remember that they are more familiar with the types of judgments that are commonly given in court for injuries like yours. A personal injury attorney may know that your offer is actually very low and may be able to negotiate a better offer for you.
For example, the offer might be a good start, but you might need more for longer-lasting treatment.
2. You may have future medical bills
When you accept a settlement offer you are usually giving up any right to have future medical bills paid for by the insurance company. It's easy to think that you won't have any future medical bills if you've already received treatment, but this may not be the case. Soft tissue injuries can take weeks to appear and you may suffer side effects and other consequences of your injuries that also are not immediately apparent.
Rather than risk having to pay for these medical bills yourself down the road, it's good to talk to a personal injury attorney. He or she can ensure that all your bills and costs are covered, both now and in the future.
3. There may be other responsible parties
If you accept a settlement offer, you may be giving up your rights to file suit against all the parties that are responsible for your injuries. You may not even realise that there are other parties against whom you can file suit, but a personal injury attorney can review your case and note if a suit against them would get you more money. This too will ensure you get the money for which you're entitled because of your injuries, which is not likely to happen if you hastily accept a settlement offer.
For more information, consult local resources like Kemp Law.