Why You May Not Want a Quick Settlement in a Personal Injury Case
After you have suffered injuries and financial loss as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may want to move on with your life as quickly as possible, and that’s understandable. Sometimes a simple case means that you can swiftly obtain the full compensation you need. But sometimes, fast compensation is not in your best interests. It all depends on why your case is moving at the rate it is.
For instance, it may feel like your claim is taking too long because it is complicated. This could mean that it is unknown as of yet who is at fault, or it could mean that an insurance adjuster is still unconvinced that an accident is the direct cause of your injuries. If there are issues of liability or establishing actual injury, then there may be no quick fix. To get the result you deserve could take time as medical records and other evidence are gathered, and negotiations are made over the settlement.
Secondly, it could be that you are requesting a great amount in financial damages. No insurance company is going to accept a huge claim quickly. An insurance adjuster will first examine every detail of your case to see if there is a reason to doubt your version of the story, to assess whether your injuries are as serious as you say, or to rule out any other line of defense before they agree to a high settlement amount. Unfortunately, an insurance adjuster may purposefully take a long time to settle your case in the hopes that you will give in to a quick, and very low, settlement offer.
Finally, you could be looking at a slow settlement process because you are still getting medical treatment. It may be in your best interests to hold off on accepting a settlement offer until you have attained maximum medical improvement (MMI), at which time you will have recovered as much as possible from your injuries. If you are able to wait until that time, you could get more compensation to cover the true extent of your medical bills.
So while it may be pretty clear that the other driver is at fault for a rear-end accident that gave you whiplash, many other scenarios will much more complex when it comes to getting a fair settlement in your personal injury claim.
Talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer in Raleigh to learn how much your case could be worth, and how long you can expect it to take. If your claim has been denied, or if you have yet to file a claim, you can find the legal skill and dedication that you need at the Whitley Law Firm. Do not hesitate to contact us whenever you need legal guidance for a personal injury matter.
