When To Accept a Personal Injury Settlement Offer

It’s commonly known that pursuing a personal injury claim can be a very lengthy process. In fact, depending on the evidence surrounding your case, it could take up to a couple of years for you to even reach the settlement phase. This is why, when many individuals get to this point, they accept the amount without a second thought. However, there’s more to consider if you truly want to get what you’re owed—and timing is everything. Read on to learn when to accept a personal injury settlement offer so that you’re sure to get everything you need.

When Your Injuries Are Healed

The first thing you should wait for before claiming your settlement is for your injuries to fully heal. The primary purpose of settlement funds is to go towards paying for your medical bills following an incident. Because of this, the only way to make sure you’re getting enough is to track this total expense after your treatment is over. As such, it’s highly recommended that you don’t accept a settlement until after you’re fully healed, and you can most accurately calculate the amount that you need.

After Obtaining Legal Representation

If the settlement offer isn’t enough to pay for your medical bills, you should also wait until you find legal representation to take any further steps. Whether it be a car accident claim or a worker’s comp third-party case, personal injury attorneys provide the incitement you need to help fight for additional funds. For this reason, don’t sign any agreements before running the offer by them—especially if you won’t be getting all that you need.

Following Secondary Negotiations

The best time to accept a personal injury settlement offer is after a second—or third—round of negotiations with the defendant’s insurance company. Sometimes, it takes a bit of persuasion to convince the payer that what you’re asking for is absolutely necessary, and this is what negotiations are for. After rejecting the first offer, you and your attorney will have a chance to sit down with an insurance representative to come to a more reasonable agreement. By following this advice, you’re going to get the most out of the deal.