If you were injured in a Mississippi automobile accident, you may have received a settlement offer from the insurance company very soon after your accident. While it may seem like a good thing to see a settlement offer so soon after your car accident, it is important that you carefully assess any settlement offer before accepting it to ensure that it will, in fact, adequately compensate you for your injuries and damages.
Accepting a settlement offer soon after an accident puts you at risk for accepting a settlement that is not adequate for two reasons. First of all, if you were injured, you may not yet know the full extent of your injuries, what medical care you will need in the future, or how fully you will recover from your injuries. All of those things affect the value of your claim, so it is important to wait until you have a more comprehensive picture of your injuries and the anticipated recovery process before accepting a settlement offer. The second reason for not immediately accepting a settlement offer is that even if you know everything you need to know about your injuries, you may not have had time to evaluate the total financial impact of the accident on your life. Things like lost wages and damage to your vehicle factor into an award of damages alongside the expected costs of recovering from your injuries. Hence, it is a good idea to consult with an automobile accident attorney to determine the value of your claim.
It is also important that accident victims remember the following when they read any settlement offer – the settlement offer that you are reading was written by someone who works for the insurance company and not for you. In other words, the offer has been calculated to bring the greatest possible benefit to the insurance company by getting you to settle your claim quickly, and for the lowest possible amount. As an accident victim, you deserve to be fully compensated for the all of damages that you sustained in the accident. You are also free to accept or reject any settlement offer that is extended to you. An automobile accident attorney can help you to understand what your case is worth, and they can also pursue a better offer on your behalf, if you choose to decline the offer that you have received. If the insurance company does not extend an appropriate settlement offer, your attorney can file a lawsuit against the insurance company and represent you at trial, if need be.
Barrett Law PLLC: Serving the Victims of Mississippi Automobile Accidents
If you have been injured in a car accident, it is important that you speak with a Mississippi automobile accident attorney right away. Your attorney can help you to pursue the financial recovery that you deserve, even if that means going to trial. The experienced Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you. Please call us today, at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free, initial consultation.