After a car crash, you may feel that you can rely on the insurance company to be fair to you. After all, you’ve suffered serious injuries and losses because of the other driver’s actions. That person pays for a policy, and the policy should pay you out fairly.
Unfortunately, that is rarely how a claim goes. Instead, the insurance agents may reach out to you and discuss settlements that are far below what you’d expect. Sometimes, they may offer a settlement too soon, making it hard for you to know if that will be enough to cover your losses.
When you receive a settlement offer, there are a few things that you need to consider. These factors include:
- The actual cost of your injury and initial hospitalization
- Your lost wages
- The cost of travel to and from appointments
- The future expected costs to care for your health conditions
- The damage to your vehicle
- The damage to items in your vehicle
- …and many others.
For this reason, it’s smart not to take the first settlement that you’re offered. In most cases, that settlement won’t be appropriate. If you take it, you may not be able to negotiate for more, since accepting the settlement binds you to a contract.
What should you do if the agent acts like this will be the only offer?
Don’t be fooled by the insurance agent. They are trying to settle, because doing so can save the company money. They aren’t thinking about you or your health.
A good option is for you to reach out to your attorney and ask them to speak with the insurance company on your behalf. You can give your attorney receipts, supporting documents that explain your injuries and other information for them to use to negotiate a higher settlement.
In the case that a settlement cannot be reached, you may end up going to court. If that happens, your attorney will talk to you about the personal injury trial and what is expected from you. They will be there to protect your best interests and to fight for the award that you deserve.
