What Did You Just Sign? How To Avoid Making Mistakes With Your Accident Case
It's the perfect storm of misery and confusion and insurers often take advantage of it. If you have been hurt in a car accident that was not your fault, you could be paid thousands of dollars in damages — but only if you don't mistakenly sign away your rights. To find out more, read on.
Hold On to That Check
It's important for accident victims to know who to trust after an accident so that they can make safe decisions. Unfortunately, you should not trust the other driver's insurer. They are not only not on your side but they may use dirty tricks to cause problems with your claim for damages. Accident victims may be hurt, upset, stressed-out, and getting behind on their bills after losing time from work. The other driver's insurer knows this and will take advantage of those factors by offering accident victims a check. You might even get a large check in the mail before you know it. Don't ever deposit or cash that check, no matter how much you need it. Instead, hold on to it and speak to a personal injury lawyer first. You could be agreeing to things you don't understand just by endorsing the check on the back.
Take the Settlement or Accident Release to Your Lawyer
Another sneaky move is to send accident victims an offer to settle the case right away. While it may be tempting for financially strapped victims, agreeing to settle and signing the release is very inadvisable. In most cases, the money offered falls far short of what you should be offered for your damages. Unfortunately, few accident victims have any idea of how much money they ought to get when the other driver caused the accident. Rather than deal with the other side in any way, speak to a personal injury lawyer about your case.
What Should You Be Paid?
To give you an idea of what your personal injury lawyer will insist you be paid, take a look at a few common forms of car accident damage that most victims are entitled to:
- Medical treatment costs related to the accident, including potential future medical needs.
- Auto repair or a check to replace the vehicle.
- Payment for all time missed from work, even if you used sick leave or other paid time-off to help fill in the income gaps.
- Pain and suffering, which is based on your medical bills and the severity of your injuries.
Your personal injury lawyer won't let you accept an inadequate settlement or check but will negotiate on your behalf. Speak to a personal injury lawyer today to find out why you deserve so much more.
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