When going about your day as usual ended with you getting injured in a serious car crash here in Texas, your whole world may have felt as if it flipped upside down. Since the accident, you’ve likely had a million questions and concerns floating through your head. Will you recover? Can you afford your treatment and other resulting expenses? These are probably some of your top concerns. All you can do is wait and hope insurance will offer a good settlement.
What happens if your settlement offer is a joke? It is not near enough to cover all of your losses. What can you do?
What to expect after the crash
Insurance providers are usually good about closing cases quickly. This is because they know the longer they keep the case open, the more they will end paying out — which they do not want to do. After your accident, the responsible party’s insurance provider should call you to get more information about the wreck. They will also investigate the situation on their own and, if they believe it is appropriate, offer you a settlement — often just enough to repair your car and pay some of your medical bills.
At first glance, that offer may seem like enough to get you through this difficult time in your life, but is it? Does it take into account all the work and income you are missing now and may miss in the future? Does it take into account all the rehabilitation and future treatment you may need? Does it take into account all of the pain and suffering you and your family have endured since the event? Chances are it doesn’t.
It is okay to reject the initial settlement offer and demand more. Before you do so, it may be wise to have legal counsel review your case and the offer in order to determine if you can possibly get more. If the answer is yes, your attorney can send a refusal letter, accompanied by a demand letter stating what you want. This is when negotiations begin.
What if negotiations prove fruitless?
If your demands are rejected and the insurance provider fails to offer a settlement you and your attorney believe is acceptable, you may take the matter to court. Most car accident cases do not make it this far, but sometimes it does prove necessary.
You do not have to let an insurance company bully you into a settlement that is not fair. With some assistance, you can take the steps necessary to fight back and seek fair and full compensation for your losses.