What are signs of a good settlement offer? A good settlement offer provides you with enough compensation to cover your current and future losses, including medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. It should cover your needs without being a rushed, forced offer, but rather one you negotiate with the insurance company to receive.
It should reflect a similar value to what other accidents and claims like your own have been paid to others in the recent past. Speak with an Arlington personal injury lawyer today about your case.
Factors That Determine a Good Settlement Offer
There is no average personal injury settlement offer. Every accident or incident will involve different circumstances, including varying injury severities, long-term consequences, and financial losses. It is not fair to you to settle your case for a basic figure that seems enough.
Instead, an accurate settlement should help you recover any financial losses you already have while protecting you from future losses. More so, it is up to you to know what to claim, meaning the insurance company itself will not provide you with information about what they owe you unless you ask for it first. Working with a personal injury attorney typically allows you to minimize the risk of not seeking fair coverage.
Beyond these factors, if the insurance company approaches you with a settlement offer or agrees with the claim you provide to them, it is also your responsibility to carefully consider it to determine if it will give you the support you need in the future. To achieve those goals, you must consider all factors related to your accident. Some of the most important signs of a good and fair settlement offer include the following:
It Covers All of Your Damages
In every situation, your personal injury settlement offer should include any of the losses you have already had, including all of your medical costs related to your injuries and recovery, as well as future medical losses. A fair settlement should include all losses you sustained from time missed at work, as well as any limitations on your future ability to work.
A fair settlement should cover any other economic losses, or those you have proof you have suffered, such as property damage. These are clear, easy-to-identify losses that are not easily disputed by the insurance company.
It Accounts for Your Maximum Medical Improvement
You should not agree to a settlement until you know what your maximum medical improvement (MMI) is and have considered that factor into your claim.
This is the point when your doctors believe you are not going to see any further improvement to your health, and any continued losses you have, such as injuries, pain, or complications, are not likely to improve. If you settle prior to this, it may be impossible to know what your case is really worth, as you may not know what further medical costs you may have.
It Takes Into Consideration Your Future
Questions about your ability to work, future medical treatment needs, in-home help, long-term inpatient hospital care coverage needs, and your expected lifespan are all important considerations.
The settlement offer should consider all levels of loss you will face in the future. Your attorney can help calculate this by speaking to your doctors and employers and using expert witnesses.
The Calculations are Clear
A fair personal injury settlement offer breaks down what your offer includes and what it does not, providing transparent figures you can use to determine whether it is fair. You should not have to navigate a lump sum on your own. Instead, have clarity on what they include and what they exclude. If there is no documented breakdown, that could mean they are not being as transparent as possible.
No Pressure to Agree Immediately
A fair settlement offer is not rushed into, but one that clearly outlines what the offer includes and then offers time for you to consider it. If the insurance company wants you to make a decision in 24 hours or 48 hours, that may indicate they are trying to get you to settle for a fraction of what they owe.
It is important to know that, in areas like Texas, you have a full two years from the date of your accident to file most personal injury claims in a court of law under the state’s statute of limitations.
They Should Not Object to an Attorney Reviewing Your Claim
Some insurance companies may encourage you to settle now, without consulting with your insurance company, and may even warn you not to do so, or you will lose the claim. This is a clear sign that you should not settle. It may mean they are not being fair about what your claim is worth and know that an attorney will see opportunities to increase the value of your claim.
It Does Not Require You to Take Blame
If you are not at fault in the accident, you absolutely do not want to accept a claim that blames you in any way, and any admission of such could mean that you are not receiving fair compensation. Insurance companies may try to shift some of the blame to you, reducing what they must pay you for the losses you incurred. That is not fair to you.
It Takes Into Consideration the Emotional Impact
Car accidents, medical mistakes, and even slip and fall accidents cause serious risk of injury that damages not only your physical well-being but your mental health as well. A good settlement recognizes the trauma and emotional pain you experienced as a result of this accident and provides you with compensation for those losses.
Your Attorney is There to Help You With a Good Settlement Offer
Most importantly, in high-value cases, you should seek guidance from a personal injury attorney who can offer a free, no-obligation consultation to you. During that consultation, discuss what happened to you, what your injuries and losses are, and what your insurance companies want you to agree to as a settlement.
In cases involving serious injuries, permanent losses, and catastrophic injury accidents, meeting with an Arlington personal injury attorney is critically important in all situations. Call The Texas Law Dog today for a free consultation with our team to discuss the signs of a good settlement offer.
