If you get into a personal injury accident that occurred due to someone else’s negligence, you will likely file a personal injury claim to get financial compensation for your injuries. After filing for a claim, the at-fault party’s insurance company will probably reach you to settle your claim. You may not be reimbursed for medical expenses, missed work, or other damages if you don’t have a personal injury lawyer.
The insurance company usually reaches out to you as early as possible to encourage you to settle the claim. There are various reasons why the insurance company would approach settling the claim, but one of the common reasons is paying you less than the deserving amount.
Suppose you are approaching your settlement procedure without the guidance of an injury attorney. In that case, there are higher chances that you will fall into the insurance company’s traps and get less compensation amount.
Should you settle your personal injury claim?
When the insurance adjuster comes to you to settle the claim, it may look tempting to settle your case, thinking this is the maximum compensation you will get. However, experienced attorneys advise you to remain patient and not settle your claim until you know the full extent of your physical injury.
Things to know before settling your claim.
Before you settle your claim, here are a few things to know:
- Calculate all the medical bills you have paid, including medications and future medical bills that you will have to pay.
- All the permanent or temporary physical and mental injuries.
- Your doctor’s report has linked all your physical injuries.
- How much amount your healthcare insurance company is asking back from your settlement amount.
- All the lost wages due to your injury and the work you will miss ahead.
- The extent of property damage due to the accident.
Is there a deadline to file for a personal injury claim?
According to the law, there are strict laws about when you can file a claim. After the deadline, you will no longer be eligible for compensation for your injuries and damages. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to speak to an attorney to understand the statute of limitations for filing a claim.
However, it is worth noting that the country’s law provides sufficient time for you to recover, collect evidence, and file a claim. So, it would help if you start collecting evidence from the day of your accident so that your attorney can review them, understand your case, and help you get maximum compensation.
