Don't Let These Personal Injury Misconceptions Affect Your Compensation
You will probably want compensation for the way a car accident has affected you. If you aren't careful, however, your decisions after a wreck can ruin your chances for getting paid what you expect. Read on for some tips on avoiding some common post-accident perceptions that some victims fall into.
1. The other driver should not be penalized for the accident – Accidents can happen to anyone. All too often, accident victims put themselves in the shoes of the at-fault driver and are reluctant to act. The other driver may be apologetic, tearful, injured, etc. You must keep in mind that taking action in a car accident means taking action against the other driver's insurance and not them personally. This is a financial matter and has nothing to do with how sorry the other driver is about the wreck. Say nothing to the other driver at the scene and say nothing to their insurance adjuster either.
2. The other driver is insured so no legal action is necessary – This is a common and very harmful misconception. If you agree to the insurance company's settlement without consulting an attorney, you could be losing out on thousands of dollars in compensation you need. Settlements executed and signed without the input of a victim attorney almost never account for large and expensive forms of damage. Lost wages, future medical costs, and pain and suffering are just a few categories of damages that are left on the table by victims who accept insurance settlements without legal advice. Once you agree to the other driver's insurance settlement, you cannot turn back. Your case might be worth two or three times as much as the initial offer but few people understand the large sums at stake if they fail to act.
3. Life is too busy to deal with taking someone to court right now – Everyone is busy and few are busier than those dealing with the after-effects of an accident with injuries. Taking time to heal is important but so is getting paid what your case is worth. You might be surprised at how quickly a case can be settled once you have an attorney on your side. Settling outside of court is usually the desired outcome for both sides, so many personal injury cases never even make it to the deposition before they are settled.
Don't wait to make your move. Speak to an auto accident attorney before the statute of limitations runs out on your case.
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