Car accidents are often devastating and terrifying events. If you have lived through and been injured in a collision of metal, glass, and steel, you are likely looking at piles of medical expenses, co-pays, and health insurance deductibles. Depending on the severity of your injury, you could also be facing a substantial loss of income or a long-lasting disability. While it might be tempting to relieve your financial strain by taking the first offer an insurance company makes, you should not do so. Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA has a long history of representing people injured in car crashes. Below, our car accident attorney discusses the pros and the many cons of accepting an insurance company’s initial settlement offer.
Insurance Companies’ Offers and Florida Car Accidents
When you are involved in a car accident in Florida, you can pursue compensation for your injuries and property damage through a claim with your insurance company, the insurance company of the at-fault driver, or file a personal injury lawsuit against any party that contributed to the crash.
Insurance companies want to limit their liability. They profit by collecting premiums and avoiding paying large settlements. The critical thing to remember is that insurance companies employ teams of accountants, adjusters, and attorneys whose job is to limit the amount of money they are required to pay after an accident.
When you report an accident to an insurance provider, you will be assigned an adjuster. The insurance adjuster will work with you to collect the pertinent facts regarding the incident. While the adjuster will seem concerned and empathetic, they are attempting to elicit specific answers and information that will be used to minimize the seriousness of your injury and imply fault on your part. By contacting our knowledgeable car accident attorney before speaking with any insurance company, we can help ensure that you do not make any recorded statement or provide any communication that would jeopardize your recovery.
It is not uncommon for an insurance company to make a quick offer that is much lower than you deserve. You are not required to accept any settlement from an insurance provider. However, if you deposit a check from an insurance company, it could be construed as an agreement to the settlement offer. Once you agree to a settlement, you are prohibited from seeking additional damages.
Understanding the Value of Your Florida Car Accident Claim
Every claim arising from a Florida car accident has a value. Calculating the full worth of a claim is often challenging. Adding up the initial costs, such as medical expenses, hospital bills, or other costs that come with receipts, is not difficult. However, what is recoverable after a car accident is much more than just quantifiable expenses.
Our car accident attorney has the experience and resources necessary to calculate a good faith estimate of your claim. In addition to the financial costs you incurred, there might be many you have not thought about or could not have known about if you agreed to a quick settlement.
There are many small or potentially hidden costs you might not readily consider, such as transportation costs, parking fees, prescription medication, or bandages. Additionally, depending on the severity of your injuries, you might not be able to calculate your financial losses accurately. For instance, additional surgeries or occupational therapy cost money. If you agree to a settlement without knowing the complete medical consequences of your injuries, you will be prohibited from seeking compensation for additional expenses that you might incur.
This also includes your future lost income. While it is easy to calculate the money you have lost if you are out of work from the time of the accident to the settlement offer, it will not necessarily include your future lost income. When an injury is catastrophic, you could be out of work for months, years, or permanently.
You are also entitled to recover for physical and mental pain and suffering. It is much more challenging to estimate these noneconomic damages. By examining the facts of your case, the impact your injury has on your life, and the relevant case law, our car accident attorney will formulate an accurate estimate of the compensation you deserve.
Filing a Lawsuit or Settling with an Insurance Company After a Car Accident in Florida
Car accidents can be simple affairs, such as a rear-end collision. However, in many cases, the facts surrounding a crash are disputed, there are multiple cars involved, and there might be third parties who also contributed to the accident.
When you are injured in a car accident, you want to be compensated for all your damages, including your financial losses and emotional stress. If you accept a fast settlement offer, it is unlikely that you will receive the full compensation you deserve. By retaining Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA, you will be ensuring that your claim is thoroughly investigated and that our attorneys and staff will be working towards getting you the financial recovery to which you are entitled. As an injured victim, you get one shot at receiving monetary compensation for your injuries. Maximizing your settlement often takes patience, a willingness to take your case to court, and the representation of a dedicated car accident attorney in Florida.
Before Accepting an Insurance Company’s Offer, Contact Our Florida Car Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation
Prosper Shaked is a Miami personal injury attorney who has spent countless hours working on behalf of victims of car accidents in Florida. If you were injured in a car crash, you want to not only physically recover from your injuries, but you also want to recover from your economic losses financially. Call Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA at (305) 694-2676 to schedule a free appointment to review your car accident claim.